ARTDESENT — Art, Design, Entertainment
Section

Museums

Collections, curation, politics

James Cox — Automaton in the form of a chariot pushed by a Chinese attendant and set with a clock
Museums

Balancing the Scales: Financial Sustainability and Accessibility in UK Museums

Recent debates in the UK Parliament over museum funding signal a shift in how national institutions might balance their books through admission fees for non-residents.

By Eleanor Pierce
Statue of the God Ptah
Museums

The Obligations of Art Institutions in a Fractured Society

Museums and galleries face mounting calls to address societal challenges, compelling them to reconsider their programming, collections, and ethical frameworks.

By Sofia Bellandi
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio or Santi) — The Agony in the Garden
Museums

The National Juneteenth Museum: Reclaiming History Through Design

BIG’s plans for the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth aim to balance reflection, education, and visibility, while raising questions about the role of museums in addressing historical injustice.

By Sofia Bellandi
Terracotta rim of a bowl
Museums

A Cultural Talisman: The Knicks Handbag at the Guggenheim

A handbag designed by Jordyn Woods, emblazoned with Knicks iconography, prompts questions about cultural artifacts, memory, and artistic legitimacy at the Guggenheim's latest exhibition.

By Sofia Bellandi
Edouard Manet — Young Lady in 1866
Museums

Reopening and Redefining: How Museums Are Evolving Post-Pandemic

The reopening of London's Jewish Museum signals a shift in how cultural institutions are reexamining their role in a society reshaped by the pandemic.

By Eleanor Pierce
people watching statue in gallery room
Museums

Cultural Institutions Under Pressure: Charleston’s African American Museum in Crisis

Charleston’s African American Museum faces severe financial challenges just months after its acclaimed opening, highlighting the vulnerabilities of cultural institutions amid socio-political upheaval.

By Eleanor Pierce
Hendrick ter Brugghen — The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John
Museums

The Phillips Collection and the Philanthropic Shift in Museum Funding

A record $15 million gift to the Phillips Collection underscores shifting philanthropic priorities in the arts, raising questions about the economic models of museums in the 21st century.

By Eleanor Pierce
Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio — Bona Sforza (1493–1557), Queen of Poland
Museums

Framing Identity: Colonial Photography and Contemporary Discourse at Museum Rietberg

A new exhibition at Museum Rietberg uses colonial-era photography as a lens to interrogate cultural heritage and evolving notions of identity.

By Eleanor Pierce
Digit fragment
Museums

Digital Horizons: How Technology is Redefining Museum Spaces

From app-guided tours to immersive VR recreations of lost worlds, technology is reshaping the museum landscape, changing how we experience art, history and culture.

By Eleanor Pierce
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux — Genius of the Dance
Museums

Reassembling Genius: The Codex Atlanticus at the Galileo Museum

The Galileo Museum's Leonardotheka 2.0 project reunites Leonardo da Vinci's fragmented Codex Atlanticus, revealing new insights into his prolific mind while underscoring the fragility and significance of historical manuscripts.

By Sofia Bellandi
Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future
Museums

The Future of Museums: Navigating Cultural Debates and Institutional Roles

As museums face growing scrutiny over their narratives and practices, they find themselves at the center of societal shifts, balancing tradition, innovation, and accountability.

By Sofia Bellandi
Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future
Museums

The Future of Museums: Innovations, Challenges, and Representations

As museums navigate the demands of inclusivity, the Venice Biennale prompts crucial questions about who and what is centered in contemporary exhibitions.

By Sofia Bellandi
Stela of the royal scribe Amunnakht praising the divine barque of Amun-Re, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands
Museums

The Expanding Voices of Museums: Polyvocality in Cultural Heritage

Museums are evolving into platforms for polyvocality, fostering richer understandings of shared cultural heritage.

By Sofia Bellandi
Standing Bodisattva Maitreya (Buddha of the Future)
Museums

The Future of Interactive Museums: Technology and Engagement

Museums worldwide are integrating cutting-edge technology and bold interactive designs to reshape visitor engagement, making history and art more present in contemporary lives.

By Eleanor Pierce
Northern Highlands artist — Book of the Gospels
Museums

Expanding the Book: National Art Library Unveils Transformative Display

The V&A’s National Art Library presents 'Expanding the Book,' a two-case exhibition examining the intersection of literature and visual art through boundary-pushing book design.

By Eleanor Pierce