ignite smithsonian speech

Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Disclaimer:The remarks herein are the personal views of Neal Stimler and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Title: Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

We must improve the human condition by democratizing the museum experience.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Museum practice requires urgent paradigm change if citizens are to have hope for the future.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

It is the responsibility of museums, as stewards of memory, to inspire citizens to think critically.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Achieving a more just America through museums demands that individuals make sacrifices for others’ benefit.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Museums have a duty to be the center for democratic debate as they foster community engagement.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Museums offer citizens infinite opportunities to learn from our nation’s past failures through interaction with collections and scholarship.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Museums show us that a better and compassionate future is possible when museums act as agents for social change.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

The means for change are to be found in the dialogue occurring between museums & their constituents through digital technology.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Many people’s primary museum experiences today are cyber interactions through mobile devices.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

It is critical that museums have their collections databases online and that they crowdsource research.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Curators, educators and librarians should be in daily contact with the public through social media channels.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

The museums’ content must be free, linked and shareable.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Users need meaningful opportunities to contribute content from their own experiences to the museum’s official streams.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

We are living in a digital culture where people are mixing, mashing and creating instantly with technological palettes.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Our current copyright practices are barriers to the fluidity of dissemination and creation enabled by new media tools.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

We must differentiate between what is legal with regards to copyright and what is ethical and in the best interest of the public good.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

The museum is a commons –a place where peace and virtue flourish as resources are shared without restriction for the good of all constituents.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Museum workers are empowered through digital technology to interact with the public in a civic discourse that vitally reshapes the future of the republic.

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

It is time now for museums to take bold and courageous risks to renew American democracy!

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Ignite Smithsonian, April 11, 2011Renewing American Democracy Through Museums & Digital Culture Neal Stimler

Thank you!Neal Stimler@nealstimlerneal.stimler@gmail.com

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