Dissertation

From closed museum spaces to inclusive cultural meeting points

As museums face more scrutiny and are being demanded to decolonize, there are opportunities for Dominican museums to adopt a critical perspective and turn their collections and exhibitions into connections to our cultural past, present, and future.

Author

A.V. Alvarez

Date

08 December 2021

Links

The publication in Open Access

Nevertheless, specific research on archaeological collections in the Dominican Republic, the earliest hub of the European invasion, conquest, and colonization of the New World, has been scarce. This qualitative study explored how communities can be engaged to critically analyze museum narratives that perpetuate colonial ideas of Caribbean Indigenous extinction, which contribute to a disconnection from Indigenous heritage collections. Findings suggest opportunities for connections by improving access through the design of education and exhibition initiatives and the representation of cultural practices in ways that are important to the communities. This study provides future scholars with practical suggestions for designing community connections with Indigenous heritage institutions while creating multi-vocal engagements and inclusive meeting points for cultural self-determination.