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The National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks.

National Museum of Ireland cites Black Lives Matter and says it wants to be 'more inclusive'

The NMI is made up of four museum sites, three in Dublin and one in Castlebar.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM of Ireland (NMI) has said it wants to be a “more inclusive museum” and has cited the influence of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Representatives from NMI will address TDs and Senators at the Oireachtas Tourism and Culture Committee today about plans for the post-Covid recovery of the museum sector. 

A briefing note about these plans says the NMI needs to focus “on inclusivity and our local and domestic communities – not just international tourists”.

The National Museum of Ireland is made up of four separate museum sites, three in Dublin and the Museum of Country Life in Castlebar. 

In her opening statement, NMI chair Catherine Heaney will say that “political engagement in our dialogue on an inclusive museum” will need to set targets that “go far beyond visitor numbers”, adding that museums play a role in maintaining the “well-being of communities”.

As we move out of the pandemic, we want to bring more rigour and discussion to the concept of the inclusive museum. We know that cultural institutions play a critical role in creative place-making and are important elements of our overall cultural ecosystem, and in turn the health and wellbeing of communities.

The statement adds: “The Black Lives Matter movement, which became an active voice in the pandemic, has highlighted that museums across the globe have a distance to travel.”

The Black Lives Matter movement and the reckoning for racism it has brought has led to some museums around the world reevaluating some of the artefacts they display. 

In the UK, for example, the British Museum removed a bust of its founding father, the Irish-born physician Hans Sloane, due to his links with slavery in the 17th century. 

At today’s committee, the NMI will say that cultural institutions will play an important role in “the rebuilding of our society” but that this must “reflect the multiple identities of our communities”. 

Business model

The NMI will also outline that museums need to “rethink business models” to ensure they are are “more sustainable” by “servicing their local communities better”, stating:

Museums as collectors; as curators; as spaces of well-being, as places of discussion about our future, and as instruments of community cohesion and education are all ripe for new consideration.

The NMI chair will also say that “an enhanced online offering” was a feature of its work during the pandemic but that this cannot be discarded in the future. 

“And while the museum worked very hard to reach audiences online during the pandemic, we know that building a high-quality online offering to complement physical programming will, in post pandemic life, be just as important in driving interest and outreach in our collections and work. There is a digital capacity gap in the cultural sector that will need to be bridged.”

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    Mute Ciarán FitzGerald
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    May 28th 2021, 2:53 PM

    RIP to the two young people who’s lives were tragically taken.

    182
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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    May 28th 2021, 6:36 PM

    I taught Jack science in Cottenham Village College and he was the nicest kid, hugely popular and wise beyond his years. There was only 650 in the main school and everyone knew everyone in the town. In my very first week I remember giving out merits on SIMs to three lads, one of which was Jack and smiling when I saw his second name. I still see him in my head as a 15 year old with a funny haircut and a big smile. God his poor family and friends.

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    Mute Larry Rawson
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    May 28th 2021, 5:08 PM

    Time and Time again Experts are afraid of the Racist Card being used when they Highlight a Problem Citizen in their Midst…Do you think for ine moment if it was the other way round in Asian Countries They would Give a Fiddle What you Looked Like.

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    Mute Podge
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    May 29th 2021, 8:44 AM

    @Larry Rawson: political correctness kills and damages:
    Failure to investigate grooming gangs for fear of being called racist.
    Manchester arena security guard was suspicious of the bomber but did nothing out of fear of being called racist.
    Stop and search scrapped for disproportionately targeting certain groups despite the fact that it saves minority lives.
    Political correctness needs to be shown the door so we can speak freely and solve problems.

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    Mute Michael Byrne
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    May 28th 2021, 3:19 PM

    Low Down Coward

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    Mute Darren Callaghan
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    May 28th 2021, 3:08 PM

    Sounds as though the 8 years in prison made him even more radicalised given they say there was radical bullying going on, been allowed around other terrorist offenders seems a very stupid recipe for disaster and needs to be remidied as well, rip to the two victims and hope the others injured are doing okay

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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    May 28th 2021, 11:25 PM

    @Darren Callaghan: I know that it’s not P.C. to say this and there will be lots of the politically correct brigade on my tail but he should have been topped by the authorities much earlier—-He was never going to be any use to society!

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    Mute Alan McArdle
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    May 28th 2021, 11:30 PM

    @Darren Callaghan: it’s a disgusting act against two seemingly thoroughly decent people but this is not the first incident where an previously-incarcerated individual has been flagged by State authorities as a potential threat. Serious questions should be at their door.

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    Mute Dan Skelton
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    May 29th 2021, 2:25 PM

    Unlawfully killed?? As opposed to what, lawfully killed by a terrorist? They were outright murdered in cold blood.

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