Museums: Truth and Humanity

"Museums are a testament to our truth and a model for our humanity." - Flora Elmore

Since I've been on this journey of Oklahoma museums, I have seen a lot of things and talked to a lot of people. Sometimes we talk about the art, artifacts, and history within the museum and sometimes we just gab about life. I have time on the way home to mull everything over and eventually my wife gets to hear the Reader's Digest condensed version of my experiences that day. She patiently listens as I prattle on about whatever interesting thing I saw or person I talked to. One day she responded to me with the quote above. It hit me like a ton of feathers, soft but heavy. Museums are the vital link to our collective past. The good parts and the bad parts play an equal role in defining who we were, who we want to be, and who we do not want to be. It's been said so many times, I feel like its meaning is fading, but "If we don't learn about history, then we are doomed to repeat it." is ever so important. I've heard the additional quote of "People who don't know history are doomed to be manipulated by the people who do know it." With people in power trying to whitewash history to present only the good parts and others in power trying to steer the social narrative to divide us, it's becoming vital for museums to exist. Whether it's a historical museum in a small town or an art museum with dozens of galleries, our humanity depends on them being around. Without the idea that all of us are much more similar than different, we begin to believe the seperatists and divisive voices. And that can lead to fear, hatred, and distrust which none of us really wants, well none of us sane people. Yes, we are different from one another, different ethnicities, different backgrounds, different socioeconomic levels, different skin colors, different sexual preferences, different music tastes. But aren't those differences awesome! That should make us want to talk to each other to learn new things, find new music, see new art. I saw a quote by pastor/poet/musician Steve Garnaas-Holmes that said, "Halloween is the day we get it right. Strangers come to us, beautiful, ugly, odd, or scary and we accept them without question, compliment them, treat them kindly, and give them good things. Why can't we live our lives like that all the time?" I concur. And I feel the one institution that has an opportunity to bring us to a collective understanding is the museum. We don't have to like every piece of art in a museum. We can be upset by a display in a history museum because it's something bad that happened. We can feel sad that Native American cultural centers have stories of forced removal and assimilation. We can also sense the joy of people being good to each other, creating art with each other, and living our best lives with each other. I understand that there are some people I won't be able to reach with this sentiment. It's too hippy-dippy, peace love and understanding. But if we don't fight for each other, if we don't come together as one humanity dispite our fractured history, we are lost. Help me be the voice of togetherness. Go see a museum with me or your friends. Talk about what you liked and didn't like. Be open to seeing history as a learning tool. If we're not willing to start a new narrative, to look beyond our past conflicts, we will perpetuate divisiveness and again repeat the historical ills of the past. We can be better because we are better. Love you.

Cover photo art is by Yolanda Mazzoni

Jonathan Elmore ©2025