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The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience
Celebrates the resilience of American cultural institutions in the face of national crises and challenges
On an afternoon in January 1865, a roaring fire swept through the Smithsonian Institution. Dazed soldiers and worried citizens could only watch as the flames engulfed the museum’s castle. Rare objects and valuable paintings were destroyed. The flames at the Smithsonian were not the first—and certainly would not be the last— disaster to upend a museum in the United States. Beset by challenges ranging from pandemic and war to fire and economic uncertainty, museums have sought ways to emerge from crisis periods stronger than before, occasionally carving important new paths forward in the process.
The Museum explores the concepts of “crisis” as it relates to museums, and how these historic institutions have dealt with challenges ranging from depression and war to pandemic and philosophical uncertainty. Fires, floods, and hurricanes have all upended museum plans and forced people to ask difficult questions about American cultural life. With chapters exploring World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic, the Great Depression, World War II, the 1970 Art Strike in New York City, and recent controversies in American museums, this book takes a new approach to understanding museum history. By diving deeper into the changes that emerged from these key challenges, Samuel J. Redman argues that cultural institutions can—and should—use their history to prepare for challenges and solidify their identity going forward. A captivating examination of crisis moments in US museum history from the early years of the twentieth century to the present day, The Museum offers inspiration in the resilience and longevity of America’s most prized cultural institutions.
On an afternoon in January 1865, a roaring fire swept through the Smithsonian Institution. Dazed soldiers and worried citizens could only watch as the flames engulfed the museum’s castle. Rare objects and valuable paintings were destroyed. The flames at the Smithsonian were not the first—and certainly would not be the last— disaster to upend a museum in the United States. Beset by challenges ranging from pandemic and war to fire and economic uncertainty, museums have sought ways to emerge from crisis periods stronger than before, occasionally carving important new paths forward in the process.
The Museum explores the concepts of “crisis” as it relates to museums, and how these historic institutions have dealt with challenges ranging from depression and war to pandemic and philosophical uncertainty. Fires, floods, and hurricanes have all upended museum plans and forced people to ask difficult questions about American cultural life. With chapters exploring World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic, the Great Depression, World War II, the 1970 Art Strike in New York City, and recent controversies in American museums, this book takes a new approach to understanding museum history. By diving deeper into the changes that emerged from these key challenges, Samuel J. Redman argues that cultural institutions can—and should—use their history to prepare for challenges and solidify their identity going forward. A captivating examination of crisis moments in US museum history from the early years of the twentieth century to the present day, The Museum offers inspiration in the resilience and longevity of America’s most prized cultural institutions.
205 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2022
7 people are currently reading
2246 people want to read
About the author
Samuel J. Redman
4 books14 followersProfessor “Sam” Redman studies U.S. social, cultural, and intellectual history. He received his B.A. in anthropology and history from the University of Minnesota, Morris and an M.A. and Ph.D. in American history since 1607 at the University of California, Berkeley.
Redman is the author of three books. His first book, Bone Rooms: From Scientific Racism to Human Prehistory in Museums was published by Harvard University Press in 2016. Bone Rooms was selected as a Choice Top-25 Outstanding Academic Title, Nature Top-20 book of 2016, and Smithsonian Top History Book of 2016. His second book, Prophets and Ghosts: The Story of Salvage Anthropology (Harvard University Press 2021) explores the history and legacy of salvage anthropology. A third book, The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience will be published by NYU Press in 2022. The Museum traces how cultural institutions responded to episodes of crisis over the past century in the United States.
He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Redman is the author of three books. His first book, Bone Rooms: From Scientific Racism to Human Prehistory in Museums was published by Harvard University Press in 2016. Bone Rooms was selected as a Choice Top-25 Outstanding Academic Title, Nature Top-20 book of 2016, and Smithsonian Top History Book of 2016. His second book, Prophets and Ghosts: The Story of Salvage Anthropology (Harvard University Press 2021) explores the history and legacy of salvage anthropology. A third book, The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience will be published by NYU Press in 2022. The Museum traces how cultural institutions responded to episodes of crisis over the past century in the United States.
He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 31, 2022
~ 4.5 stars~
I read The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience out of personal interest and happened to get lucky that I could review it as an arc for Netgalley as well! As an aspiring art historian and avid museum-attendee, I found this book absolutely fascinating. It was certainly meant for a specific audience (re: me), but accessible in terms of language for the most part. Here are some of my many thoughts!
Beginning with the turn of the nineteenth century, Redman traces the history of the museum in America, highlighting moments of crisis as examples of how cultural institutions have adapted over the past century. I have to point out the incredile amount of research that must have went into writing this, because it was thorough! He touches on a variety of topics, including the lasting effects of the Great Depression, WWII, and the “culture wars” centered in NYC in the 1970s. In presenting these topics chronologically, I found the narrative easy to understand. I found the details about WWII to be particularly compelling, especially how museums came to be battlefields of culture, utilized by the American government as spaces to wage their wars and influence nationalistic thought. Over and over, Redman points out that museums are not and never have been neutral spaces; they have always been engaged in the political and moral debates of the current day. This sentiment will stay with me long after reading The Museum and will certainly continue to inform my studies.
In the last section of the book, the author draws attention to two of the crises that critically effect museums today in America: the Covid-19 pandemic and the harsh reality of racial inequality/the history of colonialism in the museum space. When placed in context with the rest of the book, I was struck by the effectiveness of Redman’s argument. He admits that while it is impossible to predict and prevent current and future crises, the museum–and those who are passionate about it–have consistently displayed an aptitude for resilience and change.
My short review doesn’t begin to touch on all the fantastic points made in this book. I would certainly recommend this to someone interested in the history of the museum or art history in general.
~Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free eArc of The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Reslience. All opinions are my own!~
I read The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience out of personal interest and happened to get lucky that I could review it as an arc for Netgalley as well! As an aspiring art historian and avid museum-attendee, I found this book absolutely fascinating. It was certainly meant for a specific audience (re: me), but accessible in terms of language for the most part. Here are some of my many thoughts!
Beginning with the turn of the nineteenth century, Redman traces the history of the museum in America, highlighting moments of crisis as examples of how cultural institutions have adapted over the past century. I have to point out the incredile amount of research that must have went into writing this, because it was thorough! He touches on a variety of topics, including the lasting effects of the Great Depression, WWII, and the “culture wars” centered in NYC in the 1970s. In presenting these topics chronologically, I found the narrative easy to understand. I found the details about WWII to be particularly compelling, especially how museums came to be battlefields of culture, utilized by the American government as spaces to wage their wars and influence nationalistic thought. Over and over, Redman points out that museums are not and never have been neutral spaces; they have always been engaged in the political and moral debates of the current day. This sentiment will stay with me long after reading The Museum and will certainly continue to inform my studies.
In the last section of the book, the author draws attention to two of the crises that critically effect museums today in America: the Covid-19 pandemic and the harsh reality of racial inequality/the history of colonialism in the museum space. When placed in context with the rest of the book, I was struck by the effectiveness of Redman’s argument. He admits that while it is impossible to predict and prevent current and future crises, the museum–and those who are passionate about it–have consistently displayed an aptitude for resilience and change.
My short review doesn’t begin to touch on all the fantastic points made in this book. I would certainly recommend this to someone interested in the history of the museum or art history in general.
~Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free eArc of The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Reslience. All opinions are my own!~
April 21, 2022
Ironic, isn't it, that not long after finishing the book and taking a break on a social media site that almost the first post that popped up was one about a virtual tour of Auschwitz being offered by the Holocaust Education Center. In addition, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum posts regularly on social media, informing and, among other things, sharing photos of those whose lives were lost of changed forever by the Nazis. Far from being hidden away behind closed doors that often require an admission fee to enter, museums are visible and serving a variety of purposes today. Redman's book is a look at how they got to this point. How they have preserved and, yes, improved history.
Whether your small, local museum dedicated perhaps to local concerns or the vast Smithsonian or Louvre, all have had to adapt and learn not just from past events but current ones. It's a cliche but change is inevitable but museums have had to change frequently. Financial problems seem chronic, as do cutbacks in staff and acquisitions. Fire and natural disasters have destroyed and threatened priceless exhibits. Yet, museums persist. Whereas Redman details historical events and their impact on museums, one of the ideas was that the idea of a museums, in whatever format, is that they are durable. Wars and events such as, yes, pandemics, as well as changing attitudes and cultures have also played a role.
Quite frankly, even as a former history major, I also had no idea of the role many museums and their staffs played during the wars. For instance, they contributed not just their knowledge but linguistic skills. They shared how to preserve things, make them last. Yet, they haven't just preserved history and artifacts but shared them with the world at large. The goal of most seems to not just exist but to make a definite contribution to the community and world about them.
Bottom line, Redman does a commendable job presenting not just the history of the museum as an idea but his take on where the museum needs to go in the future. As a former history major and teacher, I was fascinated to discover how involved in the world events about them museums were, whether responding to the Great Depression and world wars to dealing with changing times and needs. That I can so readily encounter museum funded virtual videos on not just the Holocaust but almost any event that has taken place shows how quick man is to preserve. Museums serve a valuable purpose. Yes, the idea of the museum is durable.
Thank you #NetGalley and #NYUPress for the advance copy. I learned a great deal.
Whether your small, local museum dedicated perhaps to local concerns or the vast Smithsonian or Louvre, all have had to adapt and learn not just from past events but current ones. It's a cliche but change is inevitable but museums have had to change frequently. Financial problems seem chronic, as do cutbacks in staff and acquisitions. Fire and natural disasters have destroyed and threatened priceless exhibits. Yet, museums persist. Whereas Redman details historical events and their impact on museums, one of the ideas was that the idea of a museums, in whatever format, is that they are durable. Wars and events such as, yes, pandemics, as well as changing attitudes and cultures have also played a role.
Quite frankly, even as a former history major, I also had no idea of the role many museums and their staffs played during the wars. For instance, they contributed not just their knowledge but linguistic skills. They shared how to preserve things, make them last. Yet, they haven't just preserved history and artifacts but shared them with the world at large. The goal of most seems to not just exist but to make a definite contribution to the community and world about them.
Bottom line, Redman does a commendable job presenting not just the history of the museum as an idea but his take on where the museum needs to go in the future. As a former history major and teacher, I was fascinated to discover how involved in the world events about them museums were, whether responding to the Great Depression and world wars to dealing with changing times and needs. That I can so readily encounter museum funded virtual videos on not just the Holocaust but almost any event that has taken place shows how quick man is to preserve. Museums serve a valuable purpose. Yes, the idea of the museum is durable.
Thank you #NetGalley and #NYUPress for the advance copy. I learned a great deal.
December 21, 2021
THE MUSEUM offers everything that I look for in a history book that I read for fun: engaging, smart, short, and well-researched. THE MUSEUM traces the history of museums confronting crises in the modern U.S.: WWI, Great Depression, WWII, 1970s protests, 1980s-1990s history wars, contemporary issues. book carefully balances (1) museums themselves, (2) the history of museums, (3) how the historical context throughout the history of museums shaped the museums themselves. some favorite lines from the conclusion: “museums are not invincible” and “museums are not perfect.” combined with the last chapter’s reference to the “museums are not neutral” movement, readers arrive at: museums are not invincible, museums are not perfect, museums are not neutral. I enjoyed the whole book from New Deal funding for museum projects to WWII collaboration with State Dept to blazing culture wars of the past half-century. author consciously mentions that this is a short not cumulative history: it emphasizes famous, sizable, American museums, though broader trends apply to smaller ones, too. sources include institutional records and newspapers. ultimately, THE MUSEUM should be popular among public history graduate students, public historians ‘in the field,’ and museum visitors seeking a history of museums adjusting to change and shaping history.
December 13, 2021
Samuel J. Redman's THE MUSEUM is an extensive and exhaustive brief history of American museology during the 20th and 21st centuries. As someone who is currently working inside a public museum, it is incredibly fascinating to see how much and how little things have changed in 100 years: the way two World Wars, devastating fires, economic crashes, and two pandemics shaped the way museums work nowadays is incredibly compelling, and Redman's writing (while a bit pedantic at times) is rather easy to read. A book that is well worth reading if you have ever wanted to know more about just how complicated running a museum can be, and how important it is to adapt to the changing of times.
April 6, 2025
As far as academic books go, this is a 5-star read. Redman walks the reader through the history of museums in the United States, focusing on how they reacted to moments of crisis such as the Great Depression and the 1970 art strike. As a person who loves museums, this educated me on an important aspect of their history, making me value them even more. It’s a good history book to read for fun.
December 9, 2021
A much needed and timely book, Redman effortless focuses on a succinct but comprehensive timeline of crises that museums have faced in their history. Working beyond obvious natural disasters, I appreciated comments on social, economic, and even health crises that have tested and shaped institutions - and continue to shape them today.
This book is not only a must read for museum professionals, particularly those future leaders who are still early in their career, but also serves as critical reading for any Museum Studies program.
I look forward to reading more of Redman’s work.
This book is not only a must read for museum professionals, particularly those future leaders who are still early in their career, but also serves as critical reading for any Museum Studies program.
I look forward to reading more of Redman’s work.
January 12, 2022
Most people that enjoy museums have no idea of the challenges -- financial, political, social and technological -- that these institutions face. This book enlightens the reader with hardships from the past to the present.
This book addresses several types of crisis from the late 1850s to 2021. Environmental impacts from fires, earthquakes and storms have been destructive over the years. Sicknesses such as the influenza of 1918, tuberculosis and the pandemic which started in 2020 have caused financial setbacks with a lower attendance and shortage of workers. Another area of concern is with the devastation caused by wars and how they have had serious affects on museums. Finally, a huge issue has been with racial discrimination and how protestors in the 70s caused board members to finally begin to listen to their demands. With each catastrophe, leaders at museums needed to make adjustments and solid financial plans for the future to survive.
Throughout the years, board members have been presented with issues they needed to sort out. Discussions include the roles of museums and what stories should be told. Also there is the question of how much the government is willing to invest with these institutions especially when attendance is low and revenues are down. With stiff competition, would museums need to sell a collection to stay afloat when times are tough?
While it was a short book of history, there was a lot to digest. It was interesting with brief stories, facts and quotes. The end includes pages of notes for those requiring details. The author did a great deal of research and presented crucial points on how museums need to reflect on the past to go forward in the future.. The history of challenges that were presented could also be useful for other nonprofits such as libraries. For all of us that love museums, it provides us with a greater understanding of the business side and encourages us to continue to give them our support.
My thanks to Samuel J. Redman, New York University Press, NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with the expected release date of April 5, 2022.
This book addresses several types of crisis from the late 1850s to 2021. Environmental impacts from fires, earthquakes and storms have been destructive over the years. Sicknesses such as the influenza of 1918, tuberculosis and the pandemic which started in 2020 have caused financial setbacks with a lower attendance and shortage of workers. Another area of concern is with the devastation caused by wars and how they have had serious affects on museums. Finally, a huge issue has been with racial discrimination and how protestors in the 70s caused board members to finally begin to listen to their demands. With each catastrophe, leaders at museums needed to make adjustments and solid financial plans for the future to survive.
Throughout the years, board members have been presented with issues they needed to sort out. Discussions include the roles of museums and what stories should be told. Also there is the question of how much the government is willing to invest with these institutions especially when attendance is low and revenues are down. With stiff competition, would museums need to sell a collection to stay afloat when times are tough?
While it was a short book of history, there was a lot to digest. It was interesting with brief stories, facts and quotes. The end includes pages of notes for those requiring details. The author did a great deal of research and presented crucial points on how museums need to reflect on the past to go forward in the future.. The history of challenges that were presented could also be useful for other nonprofits such as libraries. For all of us that love museums, it provides us with a greater understanding of the business side and encourages us to continue to give them our support.
My thanks to Samuel J. Redman, New York University Press, NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with the expected release date of April 5, 2022.
May 22, 2022
The history of museums in the United States, in no small part, is a story of crisis and response, death and rebirth, an evolution over time guided by and responding to larger trends in the US and global society...At crisis moments, museums have often been forced to confront essential questions. What are our main priorities? Whom do museums serve?
The Museum:
A Short History of Crisis and Resilience
Samuel J. Redman
•
I've often said that I'm not a huge nonfiction reader, but when I do gravitate towards it, it's usually because I've found a memoir or a book about art. Enter The Museum, A Short History of Crisis and Resilience by Samuel Redman, and thank you @nyupress for this #gifted review copy!
•
The Museum is a beautiful book that will appeal to those of us who find solace not just in books, but in art and the museums that house that art. It is an inside look at how these institutions have dealt with everything from war, to pandemics (plural, think 1918 and Covid - this book covers a lot of ground) to art strikes, natural disasters, terrorism and everything in between.
•
Chapter by chapter, decade by decade, disaster by disaster, Redman examines what these crises meant to the greatest cultural institutions (from The Met to The Smithsonian, the MoMa and The Guggenheim to name some of the better known…) and how they pivoted to survive - what they did well and could have done better. Redman asks big questions but also doesn't neglect the "little" things, like crediting the staff of these huge institutions and how they are the wheels that move and preserve the machine..."Security guards, custodians, and groundskeepers have stepped up to a remarkable degree to protect museums during crisis events."
•
The Museum is a very academic read, but one that provides unique insights into things I'd never really thought about -- which for me is the best kind of nonfiction. On a side note, the author teaches at the University of Massachusetts, (where I went to school) and I love making those types of connections when I read.
•
If you also enjoy art as much as I do, here's a little book you might want to add to your collection.
The Museum:
A Short History of Crisis and Resilience
Samuel J. Redman
•
I've often said that I'm not a huge nonfiction reader, but when I do gravitate towards it, it's usually because I've found a memoir or a book about art. Enter The Museum, A Short History of Crisis and Resilience by Samuel Redman, and thank you @nyupress for this #gifted review copy!
•
The Museum is a beautiful book that will appeal to those of us who find solace not just in books, but in art and the museums that house that art. It is an inside look at how these institutions have dealt with everything from war, to pandemics (plural, think 1918 and Covid - this book covers a lot of ground) to art strikes, natural disasters, terrorism and everything in between.
•
Chapter by chapter, decade by decade, disaster by disaster, Redman examines what these crises meant to the greatest cultural institutions (from The Met to The Smithsonian, the MoMa and The Guggenheim to name some of the better known…) and how they pivoted to survive - what they did well and could have done better. Redman asks big questions but also doesn't neglect the "little" things, like crediting the staff of these huge institutions and how they are the wheels that move and preserve the machine..."Security guards, custodians, and groundskeepers have stepped up to a remarkable degree to protect museums during crisis events."
•
The Museum is a very academic read, but one that provides unique insights into things I'd never really thought about -- which for me is the best kind of nonfiction. On a side note, the author teaches at the University of Massachusetts, (where I went to school) and I love making those types of connections when I read.
•
If you also enjoy art as much as I do, here's a little book you might want to add to your collection.
August 10, 2022
Samuel Redman is someone who cares about museums. In other words, he's a museum dweeb. I'm one, too, and and his interests are appreciated. His book is titled simply, The Museum, though thankfully his sub hed is more accurate: "A Short History of Crisis and Resilience." The operative word here is short. This is a less a concise view of the topic and more of a narrow one. It is, for example, focused on US museums, though this goes unstated. The opening chapters back up his thesis--that museums have have navigated cultural crises and natural disasters in ways that are resonant (even if not adequate). The opening chapters are fascinating in the way Redman's historical research reveals precedents that are much like contemporary ones. Namely the Spanish Flu epidemic in the early 20th century. He starts the book with an 1865 fire at the Smithsonian as a means of pointing to the precarity of the museum's mission, and goes on to address how that particular museum engaged the world wars (how curators and historians were tapped to develop military strategies), and how the WPA provided some infrastructure during the Great Depression. These situations, echoing in the present day, are fascinating to read, though the address of the current issues besetting museums are less so for readers who are also museum dweebs. He writes about the problematic nature of anthropology museums, particularly the Phoebe Hearst Museum at UC Berkeley, but when he devotes a chapter to the 1980s and 90s, Redman somehow doesn't mention the cancelled Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition at the Corcoran, and in contemporary challenges, he addresses Covid, but doesn't even wade into #metoo museum moments or the fall out of ever expanding museums and their corresponding budgets crises.
It's short.
The writing style is academic and informational, there's not a lot of verve. But it is published by NYU. As others have mentioned, it reads like a dissertation, yet the author notes in his acknowledgements that he's more than a decade past that. In the end there are some great tidbits here, but it really only functions as a starting place for further exploration.
It's short.
The writing style is academic and informational, there's not a lot of verve. But it is published by NYU. As others have mentioned, it reads like a dissertation, yet the author notes in his acknowledgements that he's more than a decade past that. In the end there are some great tidbits here, but it really only functions as a starting place for further exploration.
February 26, 2022
Having been an avid Museum attender all my life, I have mostly visited small local museums built around a town's One Big Claim to Fame, as well as having been lucky enough to visit larger cities to see a wider range of exhibits and subjects under social review.
Mr. Redman's book takes the idea of the "museum" and gives it a foundation - a collection, curated display, objects to view, study and from which conclusions about the people who made them, and how they were featured in the social web within which they were caught. From there he discusses, using an impressive depth of knowledge, experience, resources and clearly thousands of hours of research, the important position museums have held, and should continue to hold within our American, and Global societies.
In the beginning, a museum was just a showplace, a repository. It has become so much more than that - the chapters walk the reader through general world events, and how they reflected the political and social goals of their stakeholders - such as "war, cold, unrest, strikes and epidemics." WR Hearst's efforts and treasures led to a lifelong association with museums, which developed into organizational practices which are reviewed, as are effects of WWs I & II, the 70's, 80's and 90's, with their changes in developing cultural and societal sensitivities. We need to see truth in our institutions - museums, libraries, etc. - not just what we want to see. The book carefully and thoroughly considers the role of museums in the past, but mostly leans into the future, and who and how museums can serve the future and the future citizens of this world.
This is a thinking book, not a coffee table book for checking out beautiful collections. It takes itself and the reader very seriously, and presents its case superbly.
A Sincere Thanks to Samuel J. Redman, his mother (see dedication), NYU Press and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. #TheMuseum #NetGalley
Publication date: 5 Apr 2022
Mr. Redman's book takes the idea of the "museum" and gives it a foundation - a collection, curated display, objects to view, study and from which conclusions about the people who made them, and how they were featured in the social web within which they were caught. From there he discusses, using an impressive depth of knowledge, experience, resources and clearly thousands of hours of research, the important position museums have held, and should continue to hold within our American, and Global societies.
In the beginning, a museum was just a showplace, a repository. It has become so much more than that - the chapters walk the reader through general world events, and how they reflected the political and social goals of their stakeholders - such as "war, cold, unrest, strikes and epidemics." WR Hearst's efforts and treasures led to a lifelong association with museums, which developed into organizational practices which are reviewed, as are effects of WWs I & II, the 70's, 80's and 90's, with their changes in developing cultural and societal sensitivities. We need to see truth in our institutions - museums, libraries, etc. - not just what we want to see. The book carefully and thoroughly considers the role of museums in the past, but mostly leans into the future, and who and how museums can serve the future and the future citizens of this world.
This is a thinking book, not a coffee table book for checking out beautiful collections. It takes itself and the reader very seriously, and presents its case superbly.
A Sincere Thanks to Samuel J. Redman, his mother (see dedication), NYU Press and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. #TheMuseum #NetGalley
Publication date: 5 Apr 2022
February 17, 2022
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley.
Samuel Redman's The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience is a primer on the challenges museums in the United States have faced from the 19th century to the present.
Divided into six sections with separate introduction and conclusion; Redman covers the effect of the two world wars, 1970s strikes, the culture wars, and other topics as they relate to museums. The bulk of the book is concerned with American ideas of what a museum is and should be, particularly in the past 50 years. And as museums are repositories of collections, how those collections are organized, displayed and interpreted has changed overtime.
From page 175, in describing the process of creating the book Redman notes: "Given the chaotic nature of the time this book was written, it is perhaps not surprising that a book originally imagined as being about the past, present, and possible future of museums in the United States soon became more focused on exploring the concept of crisis as it related to these same cultural institutions."
Redman is an engaging author, not overwhelming the reader with data. Instead he offers concise summaries of events and how different institutions responded. I found the last chapter, "Museum Crisis in Recent History" the most fascinating as it explored the present and looked at some of the data available about the value of museums. Especially that their benefits far outweigh the costs.
A recent social justice movement launched under the name "Museums aren't neutral." The ideas that campaign represents are amply illustrated here. A useful book for any museum studies student or museum volunteer or employee.
Samuel Redman's The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience is a primer on the challenges museums in the United States have faced from the 19th century to the present.
Divided into six sections with separate introduction and conclusion; Redman covers the effect of the two world wars, 1970s strikes, the culture wars, and other topics as they relate to museums. The bulk of the book is concerned with American ideas of what a museum is and should be, particularly in the past 50 years. And as museums are repositories of collections, how those collections are organized, displayed and interpreted has changed overtime.
From page 175, in describing the process of creating the book Redman notes: "Given the chaotic nature of the time this book was written, it is perhaps not surprising that a book originally imagined as being about the past, present, and possible future of museums in the United States soon became more focused on exploring the concept of crisis as it related to these same cultural institutions."
Redman is an engaging author, not overwhelming the reader with data. Instead he offers concise summaries of events and how different institutions responded. I found the last chapter, "Museum Crisis in Recent History" the most fascinating as it explored the present and looked at some of the data available about the value of museums. Especially that their benefits far outweigh the costs.
A recent social justice movement launched under the name "Museums aren't neutral." The ideas that campaign represents are amply illustrated here. A useful book for any museum studies student or museum volunteer or employee.
March 27, 2022
I've been fascinated by museums for as long as I can remember so reading this book about the challenges so often overlooked by the museum going public immediately peaked my interest. In theory, this book should have been amazing. It is timely to release a book about how museums are struggling during a time in which they are struggling once again from wars, protests, and pandemics.
However, it doesn't quite reach its potential. It felt as if I was reading a dissertation rather than a book. I found myself wishing for more fleshed out arguments in certain chapters, only to be rushed to another level of research that didn't need to be as long as it was. The acknowledgements mention that there were several beta readers who helped strengthen arguments and help confirm research. I did not see this. In fact at one point where the author briefly touches on how the Black Lives Matter movement is impacting museums today, he uses the museum scene from Black Panther as a metaphor to strengthen his argument. This would have been fantastic if he had gotten the proper character and understood the point of the scene. I've reached out to the publisher who assured me that this will be fixed in future editions, but unfortunately such a glaringly obvious mistake made me question all the research done in the entire book.
E-arc via netgalley.
However, it doesn't quite reach its potential. It felt as if I was reading a dissertation rather than a book. I found myself wishing for more fleshed out arguments in certain chapters, only to be rushed to another level of research that didn't need to be as long as it was. The acknowledgements mention that there were several beta readers who helped strengthen arguments and help confirm research. I did not see this. In fact at one point where the author briefly touches on how the Black Lives Matter movement is impacting museums today, he uses the museum scene from Black Panther as a metaphor to strengthen his argument. This would have been fantastic if he had gotten the proper character and understood the point of the scene. I've reached out to the publisher who assured me that this will be fixed in future editions, but unfortunately such a glaringly obvious mistake made me question all the research done in the entire book.
E-arc via netgalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2022
“Museums have sought ways to emerge from crisis periods stronger than before”
As an adult, I finished my degree in Art History and Architecture. Living not far from the Smithsonian had me considering getting a job there. I remember visiting that museum as a child as well as some of the others in DC. My favorite is the National Gallery of Art. I made sure to take my children to the museums in DC and in other cities we were visiting. We see the finished product that is ever-changing, and don’t think about all the work that goes into working there and maintaining them. They reflect our cultural history!
This book examines the times of crises in America in the 1800’s and 1900’s and how museums related to the challenges presented by them. The start of the book regarding the Smithsonian really grabbed my interest. The museum history was interesting, however, the rest was dry and seemed more geared towards sociology students. Photos would have helped. The author does believe in not only maintaining these institutions but using current events to help plan for the future.
I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion.
As an adult, I finished my degree in Art History and Architecture. Living not far from the Smithsonian had me considering getting a job there. I remember visiting that museum as a child as well as some of the others in DC. My favorite is the National Gallery of Art. I made sure to take my children to the museums in DC and in other cities we were visiting. We see the finished product that is ever-changing, and don’t think about all the work that goes into working there and maintaining them. They reflect our cultural history!
This book examines the times of crises in America in the 1800’s and 1900’s and how museums related to the challenges presented by them. The start of the book regarding the Smithsonian really grabbed my interest. The museum history was interesting, however, the rest was dry and seemed more geared towards sociology students. Photos would have helped. The author does believe in not only maintaining these institutions but using current events to help plan for the future.
I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion.
February 22, 2023
Having gone back to school a few years ago for a degree in Public History, books like this always catch my eye. The subtitle is correct in that it is a short work focusing on the 20th century. As for the crisis and resilience, those came in several forms. The author wrote of fire, floods and war. But the largest portion of the book deals with cultural challenges - staying relevant and finding a balance between telling a full story and avoiding the wrath of politicians who often control the checkbook. Some of the examples given - most notably the controversy in the 1990s over a 50th anniversary exhibit commemorating the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan near the end of WWII - the Smithsonian caved to conservative political pressure. Finding a better solution to that kind of exhibit is going to be a key to museums' resilience. Given the current (Feb. 2023) atmosphere of book banning and the restrictions on how history is taught, I am not as optimistic as I would have been five years ago.
March 2, 2022
I received an electronic ARC via NetGalley.
This is an interesting and engaging little book on the challenges faced by American museums in the 20th century, and the ways that museums responded to these challenges. Arranged generally in chronological order, the book deals with the impact of a number of major events (including the Spanish flu pandemic, the world wars, and the 1970 art strike) on museum policy and priorities.
It does primarily focus on a few major museums, and is by no means a complete history of Ameriacn museums in the 20th century, but it makes no claim to being truly complete.
This is an interesting and engaging little book on the challenges faced by American museums in the 20th century, and the ways that museums responded to these challenges. Arranged generally in chronological order, the book deals with the impact of a number of major events (including the Spanish flu pandemic, the world wars, and the 1970 art strike) on museum policy and priorities.
It does primarily focus on a few major museums, and is by no means a complete history of Ameriacn museums in the 20th century, but it makes no claim to being truly complete.
January 17, 2022
While reading this book, I was reminded of a lot of books that I read in college. This would be a good text to use for an intro to museum studies. Surveying the different crisis that museums have faced throughout the last two hundred years, it gives a good overview of how difficult it is to maintain an institution like a museum. While maybe not meant for the general public, it is well researched and presented.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review, but opinions are my own.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review, but opinions are my own.
May 1, 2022
Much better than the usual Publish or Perish offerings, but then, I geek museums and history in general. And, too, some of my very favorite NYC, DC, and Chicago offerings are all too well represented in this study. The major thing missing is visual representation of any sort. The publisher's blurb is a good teaser but hardly comprehensive.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from NYU Press via NetGalley.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from NYU Press via NetGalley.
June 21, 2025
As a museum employee myself, I figured I ought to brush up on my museum history, and boy was I in for a treat. This book in particular dives into how museums relate to crises or major world events, such as WW2 or the Covid-19 pandemic. Given the current political state of the US, it felt particularly important to educate myself of the important role museums play in public education and the dissemination of information.
March 21, 2022
This was a really thoughtful, well-written book about the role museums play in society and the challenges facing them. Samuel Redman examines how museums dealt with culture shifts and two world wars, amongst other challenges, in the 20th century. This would be a great book for someone curious not just about art and artifacts, but how they are preserved and presented to the public.
September 23, 2022
A fascinating tour of the history of museums (mostly focused on US museum history). We see how museums came to be and how they have had to adapt to changes in society to keep in business. Interesting parallels are shown between 1918 Flu epidemic and the Corona years. An interesting read that is well researched, but (alas) no reread value for me.
December 20, 2022
Interesting book on the history of museums and how historical events impacted the role museums played in society. It's written in an easy and straightforward manner that is quite engaging. If one has an interest in the topic, this is definitely a worthwhile read.
September 29, 2025
while this book was interesting, it contained blatant inaccuracies. while discussing the film “black panther” it was clear he had not actually seen the film. it was inspiring how museum workers, especially in new orleans museums after katrina, managed to save art without removing anything.
October 29, 2022
Interesting but exceedingly dry.
January 25, 2025
Asks some great questions about museums.
August 7, 2025
Great book to read right now.
January 24, 2022
United States • 1865-present
Growing up, a museum curator was another job I thought I might enjoy pursuing. Looking at interesting artifacts all day and deciding where they belong in the collection - sounded like fun! But, after reading this book, even just the prologue, you come to realize that museums are so much more. Museums are not static buildings that never change but rather collections that are, or should be, constantly changing to keep up with our world's challenges: wars, financial, pandemics, fires, social issues, natural disasters and more. Redman also explores how "museums balance their varied roles in public education, research, and preservation".
Non-fiction, short book (about 200 pages). Only complaint would be that it reads more like a college term-paper than a published book. Deserves to be picked up, especially by archives, library and museum geeks, like myself - highly recommend.
I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Growing up, a museum curator was another job I thought I might enjoy pursuing. Looking at interesting artifacts all day and deciding where they belong in the collection - sounded like fun! But, after reading this book, even just the prologue, you come to realize that museums are so much more. Museums are not static buildings that never change but rather collections that are, or should be, constantly changing to keep up with our world's challenges: wars, financial, pandemics, fires, social issues, natural disasters and more. Redman also explores how "museums balance their varied roles in public education, research, and preservation".
Non-fiction, short book (about 200 pages). Only complaint would be that it reads more like a college term-paper than a published book. Deserves to be picked up, especially by archives, library and museum geeks, like myself - highly recommend.
I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
March 25, 2022
Un detallado y muy bien documentado recorrido por los museos de Estados Unidos. Expone magistralmente la forma en que los museos han afrontado crisis que van desde el incendio del Smithsonian Institute en 1865, pasando por ambas guerras mundiales hasta llegar a la actualidad con la pandemia de Covid-19.
April 3, 2024
I liked this book! I like how it felt like one big academic paper but as a book. I learned a lot, and it inspired me to consider going into the museum field, or at the very least, learn more about the history of museums and cultural institutions.
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