Embracing

Abstract

Vulnerability, in the context of the museum, means the capacity to be in a state of openness, of exposure to attack or harm. It is a mode of awareness that can be developed in response to colonial, violent actions of the museum in the past, in hopes of overcoming it. Vulnerability in the museum can also be experienced by the visitor, within an exhibition or any other museum activity, when the contents touch difficult matters and the form enables emotional, intimate, and compassionate relationships with the story and its actors. Vulnerability is a training in receptivity that enables epistemic and ethical transformations, both of the museum and its visitors. Exposing weaknesses, doubts, and work-in-progress requires courage, but embracing such vulnerability leads to stronger, more inclusive institutions and individuals.