摘要：Born in the late eighteenth century and linked to the era's changing conceptions of 'the people'and the state, public museums continue to be important cultural institutions. Reflectingbroader social and cultural developments of the late twentieth century and influenced by the'new museology,' contemporary museums aim to better engage, represent, and understandtheir various publics. They increasingly seek to incorporate diversity, accessibility, democraticprinciples and alternative perspectives that challenge traditional museum practices. Accordingto Jennifer Barrett, however, the relationship between the museum and the public is under-theorized. She argues that without a critical engagement with the notion of 'the public' andrelated terms such as 'democracy' and 'community,' museums run the risk of repackagingold practices in new guises without making any significant changes. She argues that morenuanced understandings of 'the public' and 'the public sphere' are necessary if museumsare to understand their relationship with their visitors, have realistic expectations about whatthey can achieve and how they can achieve it, and realize their democratic potential. In short,such an approach is necessary in order to better link theory, research and practice
