Political polarization in the United States has deepened to historical levels, weakening confidence and trust between Americans. Despite this division, museums have remained a space where people are drawn together by a common factor: curiosity. The level of trust people have toward museums provides a unique opportunity to bring people together and help them understand how others think.
Devon Akmon, director of the Michigan State University Museum, can comment on how museums can foster understanding during times of political polarization, bringing people together to explore different ideas and build a more understanding future.
Answers are excerpts from an article originally published in The Conversation.
How is the role of museums changing in today’s social and political climate?
The more than 35,000 museums across the United States represent a remarkably broad and diverse field, rooted in communities of every size and serving people where they live and learn. Their core work has traditionally focused on collecting, researching, preserving and interpreting objects of historical, cultural and scientific significance.
As social divisions grow, museums are becoming important forms of social infrastructure where people can encounter different perspectives. In many cases, their roles are also expanding as museums help the public engage with the pressing questions of our time.
The Association of Science and Technology Centers notes that rising mistrust in institutions, the spread of misinformation and the weakening of shared public spaces are creating new challenges for organizations that engage the public. In recent years, these trends are prompting museums to think about their role in supporting connection and understanding. Across the country, institutions that once focused mainly on preservation and education are reframing their purpose to include convening civic dialogue and helping visitors navigate complex issues together.
What risks are associated with museums taking on more civic roles in society?
As museums step more visibly into the civic sphere, they also face new pressures. Efforts to engage with difficult topics can draw criticism from across the political spectrum.
Some question why museums address issues like race, climate or misinformation at all, while others expect them to go further. The result can be a delicate balance between maintaining trust and remaining relevant. Staff and volunteers are expected to create inclusive environments while navigating limited resources, public scrutiny and, sometimes, personal attacks. Smaller institutions may lack the capacity to sustain long-term partnerships or withstand political pushback.
I believe avoiding these conversations carries its own risks. It can reinforce perceptions that museums are detached from the realities of the communities they serve. The key question we ask ourselves at the MSU Museum is not whether to engage with societal issues, but how to do so with care, humility and authenticity. That involves listening as much as leading and viewing dialogue itself as part of our educational mission.
How can museums contribute to rebuilding trust and community engagement?
At a moment when trust in public institutions is fragile, museums hold a rare and valuable position. They are places where people still expect to learn something new and to encounter ideas different from their own. When museums invite visitors to think together about complex issues, whether through exhibitions, conversations or community partnerships, they help nurture the habits of curiosity and empathy that democracy depends on. These interactions may not resolve polarization, but they can model a more constructive way of engaging with difference.
What are some examples of community engagement programming at museums around the country?
Museums have long been places to explore the natural world, cultural artifacts and scientific discovery.
History museums have hosted community storytelling projects. An excellent example is the “Your Story, Our Story” project led by the Tenement Museum in New York.
Science museums, including the Natural History Museum of Utah, have led public discussions on climate change.
Art and history museums have opened their galleries and programming spaces to conversations about identity and belonging. The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History held an exhibition centered on Detroiters exonerated of crimes and themes of justice, identity and renewal.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services describes museums and libraries as community catalysts that support social well-being through cultural engagement, shared identity and social connection. In a time when public debate often happens online, in anger and lacking nuance, museums offer something different: a physical place where curiosity can thrive and where people can pause, reflect and listen.
How is the MSU Museum integrating complex questions about today’s society into its programming?
At the MSU Museum, an exhibition titled ‘Blurred Realities’ will ask a question that feels urgent far beyond its gallery walls: How do we decide what is true?
Opened in January 2026, ‘Blurred Realities’ examines how information, bias and technology shape people’s understanding of the world. Rather than advancing a single authoritative narrative, the exhibition creates space for inquiry, encouraging visitors to reflect on how beliefs are formed, how digital systems influence perception, and how imagination reshapes memory and identity. In doing so, the exhibition invites thoughtful engagement with the stories, data and algorithms that shape contemporary life and considers what it means to navigate truth in an increasingly complex information environment.
Central to the ‘Blurred Realities’ exhibit are the museum’s CoLaborators, a team of college students trained to facilitate small, idea-driven conversations that encourage curiosity and exchange between museum visitors. They engage guests in open conversations that respond to their interests in the moment. This approach differs from the traditional docent model, which often centers on the transmission of information. Instead, the students’ work transforms the gallery into a living forum where questions matter more than conclusions.
In my experience, this is just one of many ways that museums are engaging the communities they serve to explore timely and relevant topics that shape contemporary life.
