Decolonizing the Art Institute of Chicago

Background

The Art Institute of Chicago was founded in 
 1879, and is one of the oldest and largest art museums 
 in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts 
 and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 million people annually.

The Art Institute of Chicago has a permanent collection of nearly 300,000 works of art that are augmented by more than 30 special exhibitions mounted yearly. They illuminate aspects of the collection and present cutting-edge curatorial and scientific research.


Early in the pandemic, essentially all museums were closed to the public. 33 percent of directors felt their museums were at some risk of permanent closure without immediate support—a threatened loss of 12,000 museums and 124,000 jobs.

A recent survey shows attendance remains down 38 percent on average from pre-pandemic levels and 17 percent of directors still feel there is some risk of closing permanently without additional relief.

Our Thoughts

It is the best time to reimagine what it means to be a museum.

Questions to ask yourself-
What is the role of a museum? Is It an intellectual institution? Is it a storehouse of artifacts?
Is monetary gain the main goal? Is the purpose to teach? What are the key takeaways for visitors?
How often do people visit museums? What are the barriers of entry? What is the motivation to revisit
How do people interact with the museum?

Our Research Shows

• Monetary barriers limit the audience a museum caters to. 


• Colonial ideologies and representations of work limit cultural exposure, with certain galleries experiencing higher foot traffic than others. 


• Most visitors leave museums with nothing but aesthetic appreciation for art.


“But imagine a museum that shows you the story of the artefact.
A museum that allows you to immerse yourself in a culture.
A museum that allows you to take pieces home.
The museum of a new age.”

In Collaboration with

Shreya Agarwal

Miran Hassan

Michelle Esbensen