Telling migrant stories in museums in Australia: Does the community gallery still have a role to play?

Abstract

Much attention in recent museum studies theory has focused on questions and practices of inclusion. The community gallery has been traditionally reserved as a space to engage and actively seek contributions from diverse communities and to open the museum up to new voices. This article considers the community gallery’s current function across different scales of museums in Australia – comparing approaches at the local and state level – where it has most often been used to engage with ethnic diversity. It examines some of the trends evident in current practice and questions whether this space can continue to be an effective and important part of contemporary museum practice. Does a dedicated community space establish a clear sense of inclusion? Or does it mean that groups are essentialised within the museum, treated to a one-off showing of their story to be replaced by the next featured group?