In class we were talking about museums stepping up and
providing education outside the classroom. Though I think this is a great idea, I still see some problems. I’m
from Waco and the museums closest to me are the Mayborn, the Texas Sports Hall of
Fame, Dr. Pepper Museum, and the Texas Rangers Museum. All of these museums are
focused on Central Texas and Texas History. For people like me who are interested in
British History the local Waco museums would not be much help. How can museum
education programs (not on a college level) adapt to cover more than local History?
Christine Hicks
First, it is important that museums stay true to their mission. If Historic Waco Foundation starts to preserve, interpret and collect items from 17th century Great Britain the organization is spreading its resources too thin and not serving the public appropriately.
But, with that being said – I think museums can place their small piece of the story into a larger context. Museums will not be all things to all people, but they don’t have to be so narrow that only a few people are interested. Instead, local museums need to tell you why their local story is important and how this story fits into the greater picture. Perhaps it would be appropriate for a local museum to talk about traditions that were carried to America from Europe, and how those traditions have been translated into Texas Culture.