How museums became woke propaganda machines | Deep Dives

Todays's museums have abandoned artifacts to focus on activism.

The traditional museum, once the unwavering guardian of cultural treasures, is now unraveling as its purpose shifts—from exhibiting objects to shaping citizens.

John O’Brien sits down with Katalin Deme, Senior Research fellow at MCC Brussels, for a deep dive into her report, “A Museums Renaissance: In defense of a traditional role”.

This conversation explores the shift from the ancient Greek concept of the mouseion—a seat of the muses and scholarly pursuit—towards the modern "activist museum," which aims to “foster diversity and sustainability.”While some celebrate this evolution as a progressive embrace of social justice and ethical values, critics argue that the politicisation of museums compromises their core mission: to preserve and interpret the past. Has the focus on activism and contemporary ethics overshadowed the museum's role as a repository of knowledge and culture?