MA issues statement on decolonisation
The Museums Association (MA) has issued a statement in support of those in the sector that are decolonising museums and their collections.
“The MA fully supports the vital work of decolonising our museums and collections," says Sharon Heal, the organisation's director. "Through research with source communities and those in the diaspora relevant to collections, we can unlock untold stories and discover new knowledge that increases and enhances our understanding of the past and can influence what we do now and how we behave in the future. This is brave and ethical work and is an integral part of what it means to be a museum in the 21st century.”
The MA's statement says that decolonisation is not simply the relocation of a statue or an object, but is a long-term process that seeks to recognise the integral role of empire in British museums.
The MA also points out that decolonisation work has already started and the many museums recognise the trauma and suffering caused by the display and representation of objects that were obtained during or made as a result of the British Empire.
The MA created a Decolonisation Guidance Working Group last year, which has been set up to develop new advice and support for the sector to ensure that museums are able to take a proactive approach in the reinterpretation and decolonising of collections.