Exhibiting Dilemmas: Issues of Representation at the Smithsonian

In 12 essays on such diverse Smithsonian Institution holdings as the Hope Diamond, the Wright Flyer, wooden Zuni carvings and the Greensboro, North Carolina, Woolwich lunch counter that became a symbol of the Civil Rights movement, Exhibiting Dilemmas explores a wide range of social, political and ethical questions faced by museum curators in their roles as custodians of culture. Focusing on the challenges posed by the transformation of exhibitions from object-driven cabinets of curiosities to idea-driven sources of education and entertainment, the contributors -all Smithsonian staff members - provide a lively and sometimes provocative discussion of the increasingly complex enterprise of acquiring and displaying objects in a museum setting. By showing how the exhibitions in America’s national museum can evoke conflicting memories, emotions and meaning among both curators and a diverse public, the book addresses fundamental issues being confronted by museum professionals worldwide.