Museum as an Instrument of Change: A Reference to the New Breed of Museums in India

War, conflict, disease, inflation, poverty, unemployment, racism, environmental concerns, resource crunch and disenfranchisement are some of the issues that today's world is struggling to deal with to find suitable solutions. Finding a way into a meaningful dialogue around these topics is difficult. Yet, raising awareness and looking at solutions are critical to society's evolution. Museums play an important role as platforms where rich, stimulating and fruitful discussions can happen, with an eye towards long-term societal impact. Conventionally, museums are perceived as an archive for artefacts and a platform for exhibits. However, as neutral avenues, museums are poised to play a bigger role to communities they serve. These institutions can impact and influence the thought and imagination of the people and communities around them. Museums have been attempting to be the provocateurs of the respective societies in which they are located and have been toying with the ideas and opinions to usher in desirable changes of perceptions, dispel misconception or even debating disputed and contested topics. One position that many museums are exploring today is the museum as social change agent. Specifically, they began to focus on how museum theme/topic and programme can raise awareness of issues contemporary social concern, relevance and of recent past and memory. This is rooted in the conviction that these institutions be taking a bigger role in public policy to try to advocate for change. Clearly, there is no one right or simple answer, but it is a challenge some museums courageously have taken up. The article seeks to position the museum in relation to contemporary understandings of social inclusion and explores the relevance and implications for the museum sector, drawing on examples of ways in which museums have begun to respond to this new agenda.