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Engaging with Homeless Adults in Museums: Considerations for Where to Begin

Abstract In the U.S., a handful of museums have responded to homelessness both prior to and following the financial crisis of 2008 that left many people homeless for the first time. An exploration into these examples reveals that museums have primarily addressed homelessness as a topic to be exhibited, but not as a group of people to engage with. This approach may be problematic, as treating any group as a topic is depersonalizing, does little to increase museums’ relevancy among the group being depicted, and does not ensure the group's access to museums’ resources. This article summarizes a study conducted during the 2011–2012 academic year, which aimed to shed greater understanding on how museums can best engage with and make their resources available to adults who experience homelessness. A focus group and one-on-one interviews with individuals holding expertise on the topic of homelessness led to the development of a dynamic engagement model encompassing four main categories of considerations museums are encouraged to keep in mind when working with homeless adults.