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Abstract
Can museums make a difference to the lives of people with social problems? How can their effect be evaluated? These questions are central to the consideration of the role museums may have in creating a more inclusive society. Britain’s New Labour Government has made tackling social exclusion a high priority in policy across all areas, including culture. The Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport is keen for museums to take an active part in improving people’s lives, redefining museums as “centres for social change”. This is a challenging and complex function for museums and this article explores the policy context for changes in museum practice. It focuses on how to evaluate the social impact of museums, advocating the use of new evaluation techniques developed for assessing learning in museums.
Notes
1. Neville McKay, Resource’s first chief executive, quoted in Suggitt (Citation2000, p. 27).
2. E.g. Sandell (1998) and Newman & McLean (Citation2000).
3. The NCCL is mentioned in this article as an example of high‐profile success in social inclusion projects, but it is not argued that this is an example of common practice.
4. MLA (2004b) states that: “The measure learning toolkit … is now being endorsed by national policy and funding bodies” and that: “This is the first major policy initiative that brings together museums, archives and libraries at national, regional and service level.”
5. Personal Communication with Anne Murch, consultant working in the cultural sector, undertaking research into the implementation of Inspiring Learning for All for MLA, 8 April 2005.
6. New museologists challenged the focus of museums. They were politically aware (some would argue: politically correct) and culturally sensitive, putting the needs of their audience on the same plane as collections’ care, exhibition and research.
7. Based on the corresponding author’s attendance at the conference and involvement in discussions held there.