Trust me, I am a museum: A review of the scientific authority of museums in the Netherlands
Summary
Museums are shifting into a highly competitive area of leisure-time. Being a boring museum is no longer an option. However, when does a museum become an amusement park and would this be a negative development? The line between enjoying an educational experience and just enjoying an experience can be quite fine. When one looks at the core of the museum and views the museum as an expert-mediator it is important to realize how the knowledge is transferred from the scientists through the exhibits to the general public. At the basis is the trust the visitor has in the provided information. This is the scientific authority of the museum. So how does a museum choose between being entertaining enough to attract enough visitors and their scientific authority? This thesis reviews the scientific authority of museums with a literature review and two casestudies. In the casestudies Naturalis and the University Museum Utrecht are reviewed during a pivotal moment, namely the renewing of the museum. Here it is visible which choices the museums have made between attracting visitors and their scientific authority.