1

MNEMOSOPHIA SERIES1

Some Trends and Tendencies in Public Memory Domain

Tomislav S. Šola

The Best in Heritage was founded upon conviction that, as a survey of excellent
practices, it contributes to a profession coming of age. Ever since their apparition
libraries, archives and museums we have witnessed the logical, yet somewhat
counterproductive process of endless specialisation. This process turned
naturally into all three of them claiming possessing their particular theory (or
science as their most adamant protagonists say), their legislation, and
(consequently) their profession. In much the similar way, the institutional sector
of conservation originated upon the method for saving places and objects of
concern for public memory. It became autonomous institutional system and
acquired its own theory based upon conspicuous, indeed, hard practice. By the
time, it gained communicational and organisational qualities as challenges and
expectations have risen. Like the other three, this occupation was faced by
demands to serve life in an obvious and effective way, to become a part of
development. All four missed realizing that they are not professions in their own
right but particular occupations within the whole of heritage. Regarded as
divisions of the same “army” this is hardly an underestimate but rather a call for
a brighter future. With ranks so deeply divided, they are now late-comers at the
global stage where professions exercise their contributions.

1
Besides the text of annual key-note speech, from this year on we shall offer a contribution to the Conference.
Mnemosophy is a provocative term for a possible science of heritage or, taken more strictly, of public memory.
The aim is to offer a window into the future making tendencies as we understand them or perceive them
presented at the conference. This text is an excerpt from the yet unpublished book “Mnemosophy – notes on the
science of public memory”.
2

Whether a grand profession or not, these areas of collecting, care and

communication of heritage certainly possess the proven capacity of cross-
fertilizing experiences and share the same basic conceptual and societal
objectives. If for a moment we look at ourselves with the eyes of citizens that we
serve, we shall see that it hardly cares for our divisions and readily welcomes our
concerted action.

1. Notes on the nature of the world

In spite of the divinely rich capacities the world is turning (too much and too
often) into an ugly and dangerous place. The end of the cold war turned into
another peril and barely two decades later, world is probably facing the
unprecedented decline in quality of human condition. The makers of history, the
governing forces of globalisation impose privatisation, deregulation and pursuit
of wealth as the ultimate aim of the human society. Our time is The Age of Great
Greed toppled by misusing resources, amassing power in all its perilous forms,
be it making wars or turning everything, including culture and heritage, further
into marketable goods, - until the paroxysm, absurdity. As heritage is about value
systems and their selective continuation, we may perceive that criteria of quality,
generally speaking, are endangered. The post-modern paradigm “anything goes”
(formerly applied to arts) has been misused to acquire the meaning “nothing
matters” (as relating to values).

The traditional economy and politics proved unsuccessful to provide a balanced

development. Once public memory professionals reach maturity, they will be
able to negotiate the position for their mission within the scope of fourth sector, -
the very one that gives arguments to re-thinking capitalism. “Natural capitalism” 2

2
Hawken, Paul; Lovins, Amory B.; Hunter Lovins, L. Natural capitalism – The Next industrial
revolution. Little, Brown & Company, 1999.
3

is a proposal, but still more a sign of a new consciousness that may pass as a new
practice even with no name on it. The point is that responsible entrepreneurship
is a a possibility. Instead of fixation upon ever growing profit, the goal is
multiple: the positive margin is an objective but under condition that public
interest (safe environment, content workers) is made an equal priority. Work
intensive and low energy economies will be slower but quality of life must
become priority societal strategy. What the conventional capitalism-gone-wild
achieved was the closest position to global breakdown. It also proved to be fatal
to the spiritual sphere and the culture as its social practice, by treating it as yet
another area of commoditization. The owners of economic potential, however,
come to realize that business has a paradoxical task to encourage and sustain
spiritual society, - as any other leads to disaster. The irony is that the fourth
sector’s value system, the one in which the world will re-integrate, will have to
play the role always assigned to ideologies. It will support the vision of civil,
open society, not any more as a gimmick but as the only reliable reality. The
highly globalized society brought us nearly to self-destruction, as communism
failed in bolshevism and capitalism sunk into speculation and plunder. Of course,
any analysis of the sort remains the subject to a democratic debate and
consensus. However, we should (re-)turn to the vision of spiritual society in
which common wealth is the core of the value system and the contribution to it
the measure of social (hopefully also individual) success. An active public
memory defined in its contents by the humanist ethics might decisively help in
turning the world into a decent place.

The world in trouble needs its professions, old and newly conceived to match the
appearing challenges: efficient, socially responsible, creative and brave.
Professions were created as ways of dealing with shortcomings and ideals as they
have appeared or developed. Their autonomy, expertize and status in the society
have ever been the demonstration of responsible development. There has never
4

been a profession that would unite different institutional facets of public

memory, the one used in managing the society as a part of its guiding
mechanism. Like never before, we face challenges that require synoptic, strategic
answers about the proper use of our collective, social and public memory. All
that has consequences for any individual.

For the moment, memory of the humanity is arranged, prioritized and

manipulated to suit political interests. It is misused to engineer public consent for
purposes irrelevant or contrary to public interest. The false elites fabricate chaos
and control the societies by the ill-conceived, vulgarized mass-democracy and
thus prevent citizens from understanding their past and deciding their present.
This, of course, highly surpasses the capacities of public memory sector, no
matter how well conceived or organized it may be or become. But, the point is
that they do their part. The only way is by building a strong, new profession of
public memory able to moderate these processes of remembrance, recall and
issuing narratives. In the decline of modern society we can be part of the
solution. We can also commit a sin of omission, as the result of not doing
something as a good understanding of our mission and ethical stance would
command. Whether we see only our institution or we perceive the whole, it
seems that any form of community or a group possesses its inherent but
purposefully build and manageable memory. One the grand sector of public
memory institutions is united into a profession with all its attributes, - the power
of its arguments and influence upon developmental processes, will be able to
assist the social project and improve the human condition.

First, we have to understand the world of today and the needs of people. Then we
must be able to produce counter-active impulses to lessen the threats, correct the
wrongs and adapt to changes. We must become part of the solution for the
modern society, a reliable friend, partner and support in the hard times. Our
5

relevance to the troubled world will decide whether our institutions will survive
as public service and, consequently, what will become of our great mission in
society. When isolated we may see clearly the mission of our particular
institution, but the point is that it ultimately makes sense as a shared project of
all the institutions and actions in the domain of public memory. It is about or
concerted beneficial influence that we can exercise upon the world we exist for, -
whether we define it in terms of cultures, communities, groups or individuals we
serve.

Alas, the reality is testing our credibility and vision like never before. As the
unbridled economy is channelling wealth towards dissolute oligarchy, and the
cultural domain becomes disregarded or ignored3, some institutions shall be
increasingly commercialized, privatized, forced into selling collections and
assets, while the other will be gradually reduced to inert, impoverished
vegetation and abandon. Once pushed into resignation, we shall be reducing the
public services to a level when we become inefficient and unnecessary. Of
course, a self-conscientious, grand and strong profession (composed of diverse,
specialist practices in its particular occupations) will resist the processes of
disintegration and decadence. Such will be able to impose its standards of
scientific relevance, ethics and humanism, using knowledge as means to wisdom.
In brief, though the prospects are grim, the challenge is greater and means
available to fight the risks for the heritage occupations as well as for the society
we stand for. This conference has been a demonstrating for the last 12 years that
we can respond to the challenges in a brave and creative way 4. Of course, the
examples abound and we are not fighting the lost case 5. Some museum

3
Alissandra Cummins, Chairperson of the UNESCO Executive Board has told our audience at this conference in
Dubrovnik in 2013 that “culture is increasingly considered a dirty word”, explaining later in a discussion tha
unlike culture, “education still has a chance”. It might mean that there is an atmosphere of accepting what can be
lectured rather than what opens up the mind and liberates spirit.
4
http://www.thebestinheritage.com/presentations/2013/
5
Dubin, Steven, C. Displays of Power: Controversy in the American Museum from the Enola Gay to Sensation
NYU Press, 1999.
6

exhibitions in The States have caused fierce public debates, as the scrutiny once
reserved for artists and theatres has now expanded to museums and the ideas they
present which is a sign of significance the public memory acquires.

2. Some trends in museums

We should readily listen to all sides, and share the information and achievement
both of practitioners and theoreticians of all memory occupations. Much of
concerns and projections in the domain are shared and cross-fertilizing.
Museums may serve as instructive example being the most communicational and
publicly exposed among the public memory institutions (PMIs)6. The tacit
complaint is that theoreticians invent their theories and theses. Because that may
be often the case, I will rely upon a list of trends of an experienced, regular
practitioner out in the museum field7, which should be taken as a pragmatic and
credible reminder. I take these ten theses (bolded text, bellow) as a challenge,
adding to them my own explanations in an attempt to combine practical
experience they contain and a wider theoretical insight.

2.1. Museum funding from federal, state, private foundations and

individuals has significantly decreased
Besides being a true, restrictive circumstance, receiving less money from
weakened states and their less and less available administration is an aggravating
moment in financing heritage institutions that will hit Europe and other similar

6
The abbreviation stands for all the memory or heritage institutions such as museums, libraries, archives,virtual
museums, conservation institutions and similar others as they rely entirely or partly upon the working process
articulated around collecting, care and communication.I have been writing extensively on the subject.
7
Walhimer, Mark. Future of Museums Museum Planning - Museum Trends. Museums and the Recession
http://museumplanner.org/category/museum-trends/; I have consulted the author for some clarification but in
vain, so some of his theses are shortened to suit my understanding; although the direct reference is made to
North American museums, their example is usually very instructive as that country is setting many trends and
may serve in many ways as a reminder of our own future;
7

systems still harder8. Without great tradition of private sponsoring, lack of

culture of foundations, with scarcity and restraint in economic realm, - culture is
already being seriously deprived, receiving less support from the budget 9. On the
positive side, it will make heritage institutions and their employees re-think all
their qualities and drawbacks to become a more attractive partner to potential
financiers. Theory can also advise a wise strategy for the sector and practical
tactics for each institution towards new solutions and synergies 10.

2.2. Many museums have decreased staff, decreased open hours or closed
Indeed, increasingly so. When there is no ready remedy for the financial scarcity,
the cuts are the first measure. In the case of decreasing staff one would imagine
that, often, specially in some countries where the state is still jauntily financing
its institutions, such a measure is more then necessary. But it is the young that
part first, sometimes the restless and creative ones too, or those that are
unprotected by connections and lobbies. That is also our problem: profession is
not there, strong enough to manage the crisis its own way. But as a rule, less
hands mean less job done. Combined with decreased hours of opening or the
damaging imago of an institution closed on what would be considered the
expected working time, it generates still less stringency and starts the circulus
vitiosus. We simply must be better and more ready to cope with the problem,
“outsourcing” part of our job with volunteers and alliances, but the solution will
ever be in the well understood marketing. Unlike what it is taken for by majority,
marketing is the least about successful selling but about producing good, needed
products. Unfortunatelly, closing of museums (once unthinkable) will become a

8
As the world is increasingly layering, it is becoming harder to assert even scientific claims for the countries
pushed into overall desperation, - the formerly so called underdeveloped world which we now cynically call
„emerging economies“. So, we must forget for the moment that they fight to preserve their lives and memory,
sometimes even from aggressive destruction.
9
From the roughly 1% of GDP what it claimed usually, cultural sector in Croatia has fallen in 2014 to the mere
0.49 %, causing major decrease in number and quality of the programmes. This tendency is reality even in EU
let alone areas of the world more exposed to the recession.
10
Šola, Tomislav. Virtues and Qualities, A Contribution to professionalizing the heritage, profession. The Best
in Heritage Conference publication, pp.10-21. Dubrovnik, 2011.
8

familiar news. As a profession we do not have ready answers and procedures to

counteract or comply.

2.3. Museum admission prices have risen to cover operating costs (although
several museums have taken a different approach of free admissions and
become membership based)
Rising prices are bringing us closer to the obligatory self-financing and in
cultural domain that is wrong. Culture gives more than it is measurable and
obvious so this attitude is generally dangerous for a society. The fine tissue of a
value driven society is literally destroyed by the usual metrics increasingly
imposed to all. We usually measure our success by the number of visitors we
have attracted. It is good to be perceived (as with the snobbish musts like, say
Andy Warhol’s travelling exhibitions) but our primary aim is to turn our public
wiser and nobler. How is that appraised? Only a good profession can impose its
measures11. Priests and theatre people have almost the same problem, and yet we
all have to work towards our ideals. A hard-working, compassionate, noble,
modest and creative musician is hardly worth a fraction of the “value” of a
successful, self-absorbed, aggressive, relentless, intemperate and skilful stock
exchange speculator, a so called “business –man”. What is then the crowd’s or
mass media’s public value of a curator, librarian, archivist, conservator…? 12 In
brief, - culture, PMIs included, cannot be judged by the measures of economy,
specially not the one that is entirely alienated from the process of creating
values, from work itself. Though uniformity is never the face of truth, generally
speaking, public memory sector should be prevalently publicly financed and
perceived as fulfilling the right for culture. Therefore, free admission is ideal
goal for a secular civil society in a constant strive to become also a spiritual one.

11
This is what we demonstrate here in Dubrovnik as we expose the work of dozens of competent juri es.
12
By the way, whoever in anthropological and other socially conscious museums has made an exhibition upon
the values of people and their occupations and professions in society? I know that it would be well visited. It is
surely easier to make still one more on some poor devils from Oceania who are far enough to be only exotic,
their destiny ignored and their objects taken away from them as still another posh currency of the blasé.
9

Bearing in mind that the entire culture spends hardly ever more than 1% of GDP,
the PMIs participate in it with a fraction. Economizing public resources on such
an expenditure is rather cynical, itself a result of excessive materialism and
hypocrisy of the present world. The practice of free admission in UK
demonstrates the awareness that the profits generated by PMIs are the least at
their box office and are widely spread in their spin off effects, with sometimes
spectacular economic efficiency (Bilbao, Liverpool, Glasgow and many
others)13. There is hardly any logic that the mankind should develop towards
increasing its dependence upon the priorities of any rich individual or
corporation. In the inverse world the inversed logic appears a lamentable end of a
long history of fighting for equitable, noble society.

Some “official” organizations are also relying upon the most vibrant part of civil
society, but guided by the excellent professionals. This is a salutary blend of
power represented by the civic activism and good, professional governance -
towards the strategic objectives of the society. English Heritage14 has 1.2 million
members who pay 45 pounds a year. The organization however, has over 1500
employees in various statuses, and 75% of the budget (the total is about 220
million Euros) is the government's money but they also realize about the their of
their budget as their own income. They maintain and care for 400 sites, visited
yearly by 12 million visitors (roughly, half paid and half and free visits) plus
some 10 million on-line visitors. This heritage network is an advanced structure
compared with separate institutions, very much membership oriented and with
popular, attractive image, - a firm basis for good future of heritage.

13
The so called „creative cities“ have spread accross the lanet with dozens of cities provoving in varoius ways
that the sybolic walues can be turned into sof power and even cultural diplomacy to turn those cities into
succeful and convincing enterprizes.
14
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/Annual_Report_and_Accounts_0708.pdf?1247903125
10

2.4. Museums are now doing more with less income, including outsourcing
former staff roles
That is the circumstance which will not change but only become more evident
and pressing. Better performance is one of the natural consequences of imposed
restraints. This is why the training in museums has gained so much importance
and will eventually become obligatory albeit shorter and more compressed than
some believed. If the “tsunami” of privatisation and pauperisation of state would
leave time, we shall also witness the birth of conceptual education, in philosophy
of the wide, mega-profession, including the mission, planning and proper
understanding of the basic concepts that the public memory function upon. It will
propose and assure the apprehension of axioms of the new situation: museums
are processes of transfer of the collective and public experience; most have the
form of institutions but not necessarily; all objects are intangible (in their
meaning) but some take physical form.

Outsourcing, when done out of logic, is having part of the job done where it
costs less or even better executed. When controlled well by a self-conscious
profession (which is not the case now) outsourcing may happen also as
admitting the lack of workforce or lack of quality, especially in the specific,
specialist research. The new awareness of the nature of working process, labour
division, and higher efficiency will finally prevent that still so many relatively
small museums have permanent posts for a photographer, draftsman, PR or
marketing matters15 , or designer, not to mention claims of some curators that
they, though working in a small museum, consider themselves scientists.

2.5. Museum audiences are now more demanding

Maybe practitioners see it differently, but that audiences are more and more
demanding is a clear case for decades. Yet, indeed, it is happening with less and

15
There, the literature is explicit: most probably only after some 70 to 100 thousand visitors per year a museum
institution should consider employing a full time professional for marketing and PR.
11

less funds allocated for specific purposes: the state administration either lowers
its expectations, demonstrates less interest in sponsoring particular projects or
finds other ways then public memory institutions to satisfy them. Besides, the
public is now spoiled in expectations by money driven cultural and heritage
industries and expects to be entertained and flattered. It is a dangerous trap as
responsible, (prevailingly) publicly financed institutions will never be able to
compete in exalted attractiveness with the industries. In the long run, the world
will desperately need the credibility and reliability of public, professionally run
institutions. In forming their narratives, be them individual or community, in
forming opinions and establishing a worldview, people will increasingly need
their public memory sources. The research and experience show high level of
public trust and positivity in museums 16 but also, unsurprisingly, a reluctance for
museums to expand out from their core roles.

2.6. Museums are required to be competitive with each other for funding
…and for the public attention, one should add. Well, we do it for a long time. In
the late 80s with the appearance of science centres it was obvious that by the
mere metrics nobody can stand their concurrence. First the natural history and
technological museums and then cultural history museums considered
themselves as being endangered17. The money was the same, the users more
numerous and yet, some armed with arguments of impressive metrics. The
situation was settled in the meantime, but the reason the competition becomes
again an issue are the new restrictions in the budget while more and more
institutions (and activities) compete for the same funds roughly earmarked for
culture/heritage. This will be a continuously aggravating trouble. As ever the
only solution is the quality of the programme. This conference from its
beginnings 15 years ago dwells upon the ambition of institutions to gain
recognition for the quality of their achievement. Though not directly aimed at

16
http://www.museumsassociation.org/news/03042013-public-attitudes-research-published
17
I have been invited internationally to lecture upon the possible solutions to this problem since late 80s.
12

competing, getting a prestigious award for professional excellence is a way to

acquire better position in negotiating the budget or applying for sponsorship.
Since the late 80s marketing was entering the sphere of culture and heritage to
suggest that we need to conceive our product with greatest care, to respond to the
needs (not wants!) of our natural audience. It did say also that our relationship
with the community (of users) can be carefully planned and maintained as a sort
of fair, decent exchange. It has been superficially taken as a miraculous
managerial technique instead as a call to re-think your business, starting by
creating excellent product.

2.7. Museums now use social media to engage audiences and drive traffic to
“bricks and mortar” locations
Social media are “websites and applications that enable users to create and share
content or to participate in social networking” 18. Well, we hoped to spread there
and affirm it as our new territory. It was seen as our new realm. With rising
restraints, the competition in own ranks and still further, - from cultural
industries (including the heritage industry too), we (museums, heritage, archives
libraries, conservation and other public memory institutions) increasingly use
social media in attracting the attention to, paradoxically, our physical premises.
On the other hand, using any medium to promote oneself is only natural, while at
the same time revealing what is evident, - that real places are, - real. Museums
may be the places without objects but only rarely, if ever, can they be the no-
places. Being the temple of spirituality of civil society and the forum of the open
society, they are after accomplishing their mission in real time and real world.
Increasingly, heritage or public memory institutions understand themselves as
the decisive partners of other agents within the societal project. Without their
massive contribution upon their respective communities and society the
sustainable development risks to remain just a hypocritical phrase (in which it
has mainly turned). We will have to return the meaning to it mainly by
18
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/social-media
13

explaining and spreading the simple wisdom of quality of life for all. With rising
profits the quality of goods and services steeply rises, but for the chosen few of
the false elites. All else experience the downfall in any aspect of quality of life,
as their values turn into illusions, their water, air and food into poison and their
freedom into free manipulated consumerism. The PMIs can document, explain
and affirm these circumstances well, but it is the funds suppliers who will decide
what we should do.

2.8. Museums now use crowd-funding to fund projects

Crowd-funding is “the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many
small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the
Internet”19. This practice is one of the euphemisms for the troubled position of
culture, heritage or even creative industries. One is tempted to see it as admitting
a sort of begging in the place of offering one’s programme to the state funds and
endowments. This invention, however, speaks less of ingenuity of marketing
experts (as it is often suggested) as of logic of crisis caused by the imposed
austerity measures. The good thing about it is often a new sensibility for the
needs of the users through the face to face contact as we try to the very users and
not the administrators, why do we deserve to be financed. But, again, pleasing
the crowd at any cost, just to prove that the money can be obtained may lead to
the inferno of worthless kitsch. Neither public memory institutions, nor the
culture in general, are meant to be exposed to the criteria of the mob, - as crowd
or the masses (as bolshevism preferred) is already not encouraging direction 20. In
brief, it would be good if, from time to time we have projects that by nature
comprise total engagement of community, even by the funding. Yet, some
democratic, socially conscious option would suggest that the place of public is at

19
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/crowdfunding
20
Excessive privatisation of schooling system, health care and media, in spite of claims made most of them but
the money making enterprises, has exposed the public sector to the similar expectations of the crowd, causing
thus a lot of trouble for the professional quality services.
14

the other end: the side of enjoying our programmes custom cut to their needs but
leaving the worries of their production to the professionals.

2.9. Museums now use crowd-sourcing to involve audiences in the

development of exhibitions
Crowdsourcing is “the process of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by
soliciting contributions from a large group of people, and especially from an
online community, rather than from traditional employees or suppliers” 21. It is
there that we now have to place the rising numbers of volunteers and members of
the public when they contribute their own time and knowledge to our institution.
But it makes sense to add to the understanding that “sourcing” in the compound
actually comes from “outsourcing” which then together means that we let the
members of community do the job we otherwise would not be able to do.
Ecomuseums, at their start in early 70s, claimed their democratic nature, by
involving members of their community to influence their management and
programme. That was a democratic opportunity as this one may be too to an
extent, but the crowdsourcing is blurred by the trouble that inspires it. It is not
the new philosophy of community based and defined museums, but a new
trouble and its possible solution. Any proud, experienced professional would feel
offended if trying to fetch solutions to professional problems from the amateurs,
while never denying that it can be inspiring and useful experience. And, to avoid
misunderstanding, it has to be said that professionals always have contact with
an array of creative individuals and institutions whose experience and opinion is
consulted as the matter of zest in sharing the same fascinations while
accomplishing the mission..

2.10. Museums are now part of a movement of open authority

When people from community become part of our working process, contribution
to it (a phenomenon now often called open authority), it does sound to a heritage

21
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing
15

thinker as a revelatory, democratic exercise. It does bear a possibility that we

finally gain more from our social environment in terms of collective memory, the
one otherwise scattered, flux and unstable but however constituting finally a part
of what, at the end, we may call the public memory. It sounds well being part of
an open authority movement, and thus obtaining access to crowd-wisdom by
taking into account the opinions and reflection of many among groups and
communities. Mixing expertise with discussions and insight of the crowd is a
valuable perspective, in some cases even applied as a model of functioning
(economuseums). But, again, one may wonder if this chance will be used
properly, not to lower the level of the institution but to lift the one of the outside
participants. Besides, like when working with volunteers, the process does not
happen without additional effort of professionals in the institution. So, a
conservative view would claim that these mixtures are actually part of the
welcome burden to the working professionals, - not so much the assistance. One
has to bear in mind that this openness to questioning and discussion should never
blur the scientific obligation of the staff which is to raise the level of decision
making and insight within the given community. The PMIs are the tools of
democracy, becoming more important. They do become opinion makers and
serve as a well trusted source of scientifically supported unbiased information.
Well informed citizens will hardly fall victims of a reckless manipulation while
true power holders engineer public consent. If open authority is pushing the
participation of institutions and broad audiences to the point of new quality,
where sterile, scientific objectivity and stiff academic discourse change into
science relevant, good taste, lively happening, that is the authority we want to be:
accepted, respected and loved, like wise and charming uncles when compared
with stern and frowned fathers. Crowd cannot be a bearer of excellence. It can be
brought to the state of recognizing it or supporting it.
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3. Some wider tendencies in the heritage domain

3.1. Profit, competition and the social project

Traditionally founded heritage occupations have rarely seen the danger of the
competition, ignoring largely the growing new context of heritage industry,
destination and entertainment industry, but that privilege has expired. Formed
upon omnipotent profit the heritage as marketable good may just become
unavoidable feature of future development, devouring the non-profit institutions
in the process of commoditisation of public memory. That would be the end of
culture, not only of public memory. Some institutions have a great task in the
social contract as they have to produce the public response to the threat: the loss
of quality in the transfer of collective experience endangers the quality of the
contract itself. The public memory sector will have to propose arguments for
their unquestionable autonomy that will convince decision makers and provide
wide popular support. It may be discouraging that old, big professions like
education and health care succumb to profit, but even that is not final. We see
that the crisis of public sector is not matter of its lack of quality. Its position and
structure in society is weakened by the political strategies, the type of
development and the governing value systems. As a coexistence of private and
public is possible, it remains important to negotiate social contract in terms of
democratic values, equity and impartiality, - if possible by making leaving
strategic societal decision with professions, not in their name.

3.2. Public memory, privatisation and the natural human strive

We live in a dilemma whether we need a deregulated liberal society with
prevalence of business and profit priorities or a pluralistic, multicultural,
communitarian society built upon social, democratic values? Is it common
wealth or wealth for the few and chosen that we envisage? Formed in
innumerable variants according to the particular situation, these apories will
17

increasingly inundate the heritage domain of public memory, the heritage

communicated with an aim of cultivating particular sets of values or, at least,
particular platforms for some to be weighted one against the other. The
privatisation of museums is our reality. It will start as concession of a
management then penetrate the ownership structure of property and move
towards the right of disposition with collections: all in the name of the effective
management in real or provoked, otherwise inexistent problems.

When heritage faces the ultimatum of privatisation that will mean that state is
unwilling to admit public memory institutions as non-for-profit sector. That time
has already come to certain countries and will advance proportionally to the
perverted speculative nature of economy. The lack of financing (very much
helped by the inertia and lack of professionalism of the sector) pushes the
institutions first to de-etatisation. This is a good warning as the sign is clear:
professionals in charge will have to assume full responsibility for effectiveness
of these institutions: their product must be based upon the same principle as that
of profit-run companies: value for money. Their task is to offer convincing
explanations for their interpretation of profit (as social, cultural and
psychological) and of the specific contribution to development. They should be
adverting upon new econometric methods which clearly show that a successful
heritage project may measurably increase motivation for visiting certain
destination, or increase general visibility and image of certain place. All that is
calculable revenue. There, the sector should firmly stop, take a stand and explore
the potentials of its inherent nature of public domain. Common wealth and
advance of human condition cannot be achieved through exclusive private
ownership, the least so of the spiritual values. Anybody can contribute to the
common good but terms can only be publicly determined. That is part of basic
democratic agenda.
18

If new professionalism is not to ensue from long consideration and new

challenges, - able to overcame the phase of de-etatisation by proper response, -
the financial trouble will gradually render public memory institutions into hands
of private companies. The same process is happening in Europe and elsewhere
with privatisation of high-education, a new practice rather puzzling, specially to
the newly arrived into the EU with the long experience of public services in a
state-run economy. Without pressure of social ideology, indeed, the ownership
may not be so central an issue, but the purpose and economic structure. Private
business of any sort can be, like it was the case often in a developed and socially
balanced capitalism, a sort of social enterprise22. Relieving the enterprise from
the tyranny of profit and turning it mission driven is somewhat idealist but
plausible formula. The forced privatisation will bring unforeseeable troubles 23
specially in many countries where public domain was traditionally maintained by
the state (perceived as a mechanism of common good): their vulnerable position
would yield them more vulnerable. Public-private partnership is a realist
possibility but a very demanding challenge. If public part is defended half-
heartedly and reluctantly by public servants as it is prevalently the case, the more
aggressive, personally interested other part will undoubtedly prevail and impose
its own agenda.

3.3. Profession building as a way to quality solutions for the heritage sector
Unexpected exaggerations in strategic decisions are due to aggressive particular
interests involved creating further imbalances in development. Professions are
the only pools with power of scientifically supported arguments. Their
corruption exclusion or belated rise (like in the domain of public memory) cause
damage. Our chances grow with provision of professional training and higher
status in society. Very few strong and convincing public institutions could

22
Sladojević Šola, Tomislav. Javno pamćenje. Zavod za informacijske znanosti, Filozofski fakultet. Sveučilište
u Zagrebu, 2014. 245 str. ; the matter described in the text is treated at some length in this book on public
memory.
23
A part of a letter to New College of Humanities (2013) as a comment upon a daring, controversial,
successful experiment of Professor A. C. Grayling.
19

otherwise respond to challenges impose to the world. The economy in difficulties

is ready excuse for many a concession to a particular interest already, - often at
the detriment of public good. Consequently and in spite of promises (easily
offered) and contracts with flexible, conditional changes, heritage sector can
become yet another soft value industry. How and by whom will that process be
recognised, and how should it be handled? Theory can help. Will it be
persuasive enough to prove to heritage profession(s) that they are responsible for
collecting, storing and communicating value systems, maintaining high criteria
in the world surrendering itself to ephemeral illusions and profit making schemes
in cultural or artistic disguise?

3.4. Using globalisation as a reminder to be united in differences

To do anything about globalisation (which is inevitable but also negotiable), we
have to know what we lose and what we gain; it will always be the matter of our
dealing with specificity and diversity, - keeping them as a richness alive and self-
perpetuating. Traditional museums (for example) may prove a trap, a sort of
minimal deal allowing us to create distant, rare islets of protected (inexistent,
dead) identity while leaving the entire reality of our inner and outer environment
to the ruthless developers.

We inhabit this Earth as human beings aspiring to spiritual advance. Though

corporations, led by a short-sighted strategy may prefer us as serfs-consumers in
the never-lands of Mouse Planet or Planet Hollywood. Back in the Eighties while
Europe was still holding to its identity and general values, we would have
laughed at these syntagms as defamatory and grotesque, but since, we have
become part of the planetary process unifying all the cultures at the level of the
lowest and the meanest common denominators. Globalisation is a natural
process, as old as the mankind, - an unavoidable exchange and cross-fertilizing
of cultures as communication increase. As a way of building common, noble
destiny of human kind on a tiny Planet, it does make sense but in no way would
20

it comprise the entropic chaos. Internationalisation is closer way to describe the

richness of diversity united by the general criteria. There is hope, necessarily.

What has been a wrong practice of governmentalism has to turn into serving the
society in a way obvious and pragmatic. Social that offers culture and self
reflection as free service to its citizens is not a socialist ideological invention but
a consequence of devastating elitist models, therefore pertaining to the very idea
of civil society and democracy.

3.5. The heritage profession in making as a strategic response to the

challenges
One can rightfully be inclined to believe that we are soon to witness the birth of a
heritage mega-profession and a rising engagement of population in a way that
will change the position of public institutions. The latter will unite with the
ecologically conscious to engage in the permanent campaign, a movement, for
survival of the inherited richness, - not only natural, but also civilization and
cultural environment. There have been enough of self-indulging scientists who
are often dangerously close to foolishness. Great knowledge can propose that the
future of humanity is in finding another planet to live on but wise minds cannot.
The popular press speculates rightfully how many hundreds shall be able to pay
the trip. Who would the “lucky” ones be? Whoever will explain how impossible
it is to travel the 30 or 60 light years (as optimistic estimates hesitate to claim is
the vicinity of some possible planet)? People are embarrassed by the lack of
serious clue to these speculations. Why would anybody ever think of leaving the
planet? What if conquest as dominant Western concept of development has its
limits? Both, this “vision” and the conquerors nature of western civilisation will
in future be developed into grand exhibition projects and as many tiny ones as
possible. Public memory institutions can help us to understand and appreciate
decent knowledge usable in ennobling our existence.
21

As recent events show, the result of the Age of the Great Greed is the suffering
Planet: warring, unsecure, unhealthy, ugly and uncomfortable. The world is
turning into the state of permanent conflict, the circumstances ideal for the
marauding raid of global bankers and corporations. The sad evidence confirms
that the profit of the three centuries of rationalism and brilliant technological
advance will turn into the ability of perfect recall, into total memory, gigantic in
size, ironically, never so unstable, fragile, manipulated and, - useless.

The perfect memory is not yet turning into a global conscience, into a sort of
functional global mind. The mnemosphere, where this ennobling change could or
should happen has to turn knowledge into wisdom. There might have existed
philosophers of the Ancient world who were, due to the art of memory, at the
same time giants of knowledge and of selection, - the wise men. Shall our public
memory sector be there in time to serve the Good? A pathetic phrase, some will
exclaim, but some eccentrics will know when the time comes by rather banal
changes of our reality: when Versailles turns into a different museum, the one
that will show all its meanings and exceptionality perhaps under the name
“Museum of Power – the faces of rule”, - some will know that we stand the
chance. Of course, many of those faces will be about beauty and creativity but
they will not be the only ones. By that time Louvre, magnificent institution in
more than one aspect, will have a part of permanent exhibition on history of
looting other countries and other cultures, to bow to them and admit that French
state is only in charge of what belongs to many. As the consequence, both the
contents and outreach programme of Louvre will change. Musee du Quay
Branly24 will hopefully become a place where, on Saturday evening, you will be
looking to meet a friend from Benin, Peru or Tahiti, living in Paris: it should
have become their place, not yet another of ours talking about the exotic them.
Instead of deriving from the mentality of conquest, heritage institutions will be

24
What a cynical way to avoid any obliging implication in any of the possible names depicting the contents!
22

returning what they have gathered only to overcrowd and congest their storages.
The grand re-distribution will be new division of offices and exchange of
custodies so that, this time logic of communication re-arranges collections or
puts in function all sorts of pools and agreements on common cumulative acting.
Sometimes “returning” will mean literally that: a bust of a founder of the first
regional school belongs to the public place and not to the darkness of the the
storage: they have dozens of the same or similar ones that will never enter the
permanent exibition. Renewed theory will not mystify the risk of the gentleman’s
face losing the tip of the nose if placed in the school’s lobby. While continuing
to working for the good reputation of the region and standing for the big social
victory for education he will be, naturally, exposed to risks. We have to take
risks in returning to life. In the increasing number of occasions heritage will turn
into direct action, on the spot, site-specific and centred, with site specific
creations connected to its site inspirations. Hic et nunc, the old call for efficiency
now and here will be the motto of many innovations. New self-confident and
assertive professionalism will be able to deal with improvisations producing
transportive and site immersive projects of mixed media. Some new
professionals will be producers, a sort of responsible facilitators, while present
occupations like curators will be directors, much like in the film projects.
Curating a project will grow further in importance. One of the reactions is the
rising individual, non-corporate and non-governmental initiatives which avoid
the stiffness and corruption of the wider scene. Unlike “privatisation” and
mercantilisation, that is the positive challenge the new profession will hopefully
meet with goodwill and anticipation. Creating public narratives from memory
will become so popular that all sorts of guerrilla curating will happen. Some of it
will be done by restless professionals while the rest will be done by devoted
amateurs. One could say, - public memory will descend to the street but also that
collective memory will seek its legitimacy and ways of public expression. This
sort of public memory processual “institution” or, more likely, the way of public
23

memory reaction to the world around, - should be the subject of books to come,
whoever writes them.

Globally taken, the majority within heritage occupations resists the change.
Again, the positive elite makes it only more obvious. That majority does not trust
common sense thinking, especially if done in rather uncommon way. Curiously,
this is exactly the tactics they should appropriate when performing their public
paid job in the changed circumstances. The great convergence will hopefully
change everything; giving instead of taking will mean that a great re-distribution
of collections may take place: to other institutions, to real owners, to public
places, to the new, common institutions. Armed with experience, needs,
organisation and ICT, we shall be able to return with new efficiency to the (lost)
totality of heritage and to integrated communication.

The age of museums, a triumph that Germain Bazin was cautiously exploring, -
seems to be over. Society of knowledge was thought to be the solution to most of
the problems of modern society. The modern museum institutions were
presenting the omnipotent science for a hundred odd, or even two hundred years,
change from scientific to (prevalently) communicational institutions. Archives
opened up and “stepped down” to serve the wider community. Libraries realized
that they form collective memory and shape public opinion. Understanding their
job as common civil society project they retain specificity and acquire new
importance. Together they articulate the age of heritage in which knowledge is
refined into developmental wisdom: peaceful prosperity in a preserved richness
of the world. The perspectives that change the civil society into the spiritual one
will become the context of the new role of public memory in the destiny of the
world.
24

Be it a general theory of heritage, an overlapping level of all the heritage

occupational theories (museology, librarianship, archivistics), or (finally) the
new science25, - it will form the mind of the new mega profession. This wide
conceptual approach is an invitation to the other colleagues from public memory
sector to appropriate common underlying philosophy and unite in the common
strategy. The new, grand profession will leave the autonomy of any specialist
theory and practice, at the same time integrating memory occupations around the
common societal project. Generally or in particular occupations, the aim will
remain how to study, select, preserve, care our heritage and enable the transfer of
the noble human experience for the sake of harmonious development.

3.6. The redefinition of heritage

The redefinition of heritage which allowed that any heritage is accountable, be it
material (as we have long practiced) or intangible, released the unattended
energy but opened new dangers. Museums were able to use their mixture of
science and public mission to dominate the domain. Once widened so vastly the
matter surpasses their reach. Museum has thus become¸ not a mere institution but
a process. Implied consequence is that many others, whoever are willing to
recognize the importance of it, are bound to attend to the process the way they
find suitable. The proper response can be reached only by united effort of all the
public memory institutions. Only by a concerted effort will there be sufficient
guarantee that commodification will not take over what was regarded as public
domain.

3.7. Heritage growingly perceived as business asset

Heritage has always been an asset. UNESCO’s lists of intangible heritage are
also a signal of their asset value. Unlike with material heritage, it creates certain
right of ownership and will, on one hand stiffen natural exchange and cross-

25
In 1982 I have proposed that Museology be renamed into Heritology to denote a possible, necessary science of
heritage. Later on (1987) this concept was elaborated but also changed to Mnemosophy, both terms often used to
provoke conservative colleagues and incite suitable changes. There cannot be any science upon any ins titution
but indicating a central concept properly can lead us to usable future.
25

fertilizing which ever happens among cultures and identities and on the other
might become the matter of legal disputes or sales. A company or corporation
may offer the owner financial assistance in exchange for concession and other
compensations. Released from any legal or cultural restraint, the business will
penetrate in any facet of public or private lives. What has been rightfully
accepted as heritage industry (our contribution to creative industries) may not be
our only contribution to business sector. Our position has to be regarded as that
of a capital for the soft power, with all the care and precaution the capital
deserves. Living culture and heritage have to be excluded from the speculative
nature of the profit obsessed present economy: they will always yield most and
the best in the so called spin-off effects and not in direct exploitation.

The incessant greedy pursuit of profit ushers private enterprises into our ranks
and trade. The speculative developers turned into space eaters who devour
landscape of transitional or bankrupt countries wherever its attractiveness may
prove convincing for investors, - only to produce devastated cultural landscape
of ghost towns on a crowded Planet of homeless. This is but one of the worries
hardly peculiar to Mediterranean countries.

3.8. Festivalisation of culture

All values are under attack and what we have is an undeclared war on culture
and heritage. It takes many forms. One of them, is the festivalization 26. As a
shortcut in the strategy of cultural industries, (at their best) festivals derive their
power from identity and heritage of their place. They exploit often rather
superficially the local values. While history and heritage request (even humbly)
long and deep attention of profound and repeated visits, festivals and similar
happenings spend the values they thrive upon in a rather wasteful and arrogant
manner. They are most content if they compress the entire identity into the

26
Richards, Greg; Palmer, Robert. Eventful Cities: Cultural Management and Urban Revitalisation. Routledge,
2010.
26

narrow package of brand with all few strong stereotypes it usually contains. They
eat up public money and public attention. This world-wide development is
making the life of heritage institutions more delicate.

Though the past is our plough land, we are here to make the present world a
better place for our users. The ruling groups of the contemporary society have
advanced decisively in destroying societal ideologies which provided some
quality coherence of the society. They have produced a lonely and selfish citizen
with an attitude of wanting all and now as a substitute for any ideology, an
attitude that makes sustainable development world view an impossible task. The
expected impact of professions is undermined by manipulation of post-modern
freedom into karaoke attitude of the masses, - a growing disregard for
professionalism and quality. The false elites’ imposition slows down or obstruct
professions in maintaining social body in a state of spiritual and biological
homeostasis. Harmony, the ultimate expression of all human ambition has been
turned into an obsolete word with romantic claims. The culture of illusions
makes appear that all the fad and desires created for the crowd to obsessive
dimensions, - are within reach. On the other hand, the culture (of values),
whether in business, public, private life, practical or spiritual life, - cannot offer
but reality with all its risks and temptations. Ours is situation of great expectation
that can be fulfilled only through public confidence, respect and credibility.

The institutional discourse of public memory institutions depends directly upon

which societal interest group has a control over their financing and decision
making. Basic quality and objectivity of their product can be guaranteed due to
the public financing, relying upon science and by professionalism. In most of the
countries (undeveloped, developing, transitional) it is the state administration
that has effective control, science is taken in its conservative capacity while
professionalism hardly exists. The mightiest of the guarantees for the excellent
27

product is professionalism, as it comprises any other quality. It remains the

practical objective and strategic aim of our effort.

3.9. Heritage movement as a public support for yet another global issue
Contrary to festivalisation which is a process (though much in our concern)
under control of cultural industry, as it capitalises on the mass need for the
entertainment, - there are contours of a wide public support for the effort of
public memory institutions to perpetuate the selected values of the past. As in the
time when survival of the Planet was clearly perceived through ecology, we now
see that many see heritage as an issue worth their continuous support.

Heritage movement is there when crowd, in an organized effort, performs regular

activities to promote heritage and attain ever higher level of its protection and
care. It also a conscious practice of some elements and values of the professional
procedures concerning heritage or, in its wider social role, public memory. A
movement always results from a collective strive and attitude built up through a
long, continuous effort of heritage professionals. Any profession boasts of its
systematic efforts to spread the literacy relevant to its trade and domain of public
activity. This ostensible sharing or concession is not a sign of weakness but of
strength and integrity: only with the wide support stemming from understanding
can support be created.

Heritage, like music is not a forbidden practice: on the contrary. The more
people are music or heritage literate, the better. The more they practice it in their
private circles or even as part of wider manifestations, - the better. The real
amateurs, unlike snobs who can be only useful, respect and support
professionals. And yet, the profession is aware that their real mission leads to
back to life. So in the myriad of places and situations and educated public has an
opportunity to apply the basics of any heritage art. It is not monuments that we
musealize, document, research or put back into life but literally everything
28

bearing certain quality that merits continuation. Public memory institutions have
limited resources so they have to reduce their intervention to the most valuable
and indispensable heritage. The point is, indeed, how to spread their practice so
that it permeates the entire society. So, the heritage literate population is a
blessing. They solve the first level of any relationship to heritage, be it
communal or their own. Their literacy will comprise that they will seek
professionals for any higher. Equally, in music, the relevant development is not
karaoke but musical literacy, - even high levels of it so that music becomes
inextricable part of (if possible) everybody’s life, practiced privately and enjoyed
publicly. It is so charmingly demonstrated by El Systema 27. Imagine that in any
country we could have 12 % of population, all of them children up to the teens,
organized in orchestras, actively playing classical and other music. Imagine if
open authority movement would mean for public memory institutions if 12 % of
population of our countries, all children, would be practicing some sort of
organised heritage based education and activity. What a public and what support
would we have with such a stable basis! In France, for example, there would be
750 000 little heritage curators as a guarantee that Louvre would be a decorative,
symbolic flagship of a mighty fleet of French identity that could fearlessly sail
into a global(ist) ocean.

Fortunately, part of the public sector in an unexpected way are also the activists,
representatives of otherwise silent or suppressed majority. They are natural and
beneficial response to the terrible fix in which the public sector finds itself. Civil
society, in spite of all the misunderstandings and manipulation, is a complement
and corrective to institutional sector, especially that of the state. Heritage is not
the best example, but it is precisely because of that it illustrates well the
potential: the heritage largest association of civil society in the world,
27
El Sistema is a state foundation which watches over Venezuela's 125 youth orchestras and the instrumental
training programmes which make them possible. The organization has 31 symphony orchestras, and between
310,000 to 370,000 children attend its music schools around the country. 70 to 90 percent of the students come
from poor socio-economic backgrounds. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Sistema
29

National Trust28, England, which has 3.5 million members, 52,000 volunteers
(who in the year 2007 / 8 gave 2.3 million hours of work), while "their" three
hundred historic buildings, 45 industrial heritage monuments (and forests, lakes,
wetlands, villages ...) are visited by 12 million visitors a year. They are a strong
partner for everyone in the sector and the testimony that there is an enormous
amount of positive energy that wants to work. That is quite an announcement of
a movement.

4. Concluding remarks

When the world again realises the value of giving in place of the fascination with
taking, we have a reason to hope. The natural reactions to threat will mobilize
human society once more towards sustainable solutions. Our grand sector, to
which this conference is devoted by offering a annual cross-section of innovative
excellence demonstrates for years that there are lot of good solutions that amount
to trends and make obvious the tendencies that reveal (part of ) the changing
zeitgeist – the spirit of the time.

We shall see the multiplication and rise of activist heritage units29, a particular,
brisk, economic and spirited and sprightly quasi institutions that will react to
interesting heritage issues. In some cases they will make part of the large system
but in advanced practice, - they will be independent and autonomous reactions to
the challenge, a sort of activist museums, - but less burdened with terminology.
Term “museum” has become an issue of fashionable play with its possible
meanings.

28
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-trust/w-thecharity/w-thecharity_our-present.htm
29
Šola, Tomislav. Role of museums in developing countries. Varanasi: Bharat Kala Bhavan Hindu University,
1989. pp. 24 (Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture)
30

Private and public in a civil society will remain a dangerous partnership. It

responds to the weakening public sector as it takes the challenge or its
troublesome insecurity and inaptitude when it needs a tutor. However, once the
state will become less generous source of finances, the private museums will
gain more arguments. The name “museum” is not protected. There are more than
400 private museums in China already and they now seem to demonstrate the
trend best. The private initiators of museums have not yet realized the full
potential of museums and handle the matter in a rather conservative, amateurish
way but not for long. Rising number of rich individuals and corporations will
have resources and want for the prestige of controlling the life of privately
owned and yet (by proposal and programme) public institutions. It will be
changing the world. Should it all happen without us, trained or experienced
professionals? The concept of publicly owned public institution will suffer a
challenge that can be survived only with different mind, - as a profession with
self-assurance.

As things change, there will happen not only rising of demand from the part of
the public, but there will be a crisis of perception of museums: people will
increasingly project their fancy into private enterprises that will serve them the
way a film industry does for them, into heritage industry, private museums,
theme parks, entertainment industry that uses heritage as its subject etc. Entire
public heritage domain will have to survive without becoming second rate
version of their challengers, without yielding to euphoric programme, itself a
sort of static festival. Euphoria in PMIs would be very unprofessional response
to temptations imposed by heritage and entertainment industry though private
partners or private sponsors would demand it.

If brave and creative, if self assured and professional to the point of fighting for
their mission, heritage institutions may appropriate also the taste already there,
31

but only developing, - of a communication so creative and coherent in its

potential and abilities as to present a new form of applied art, that of heritage
communication. It will have to happen in a new alliance with artists of all sorts.
The curators, archivists, librarians, conservators, all heritage / public memory
curating occupations will have to get together but, more than that, - will have to
realize that their united profession is decisively defined by communication. Like
artists on their side, they will have to renounce some of their pride and vanity to
allow for a lavish interplay in which science merges with arts to form a unique
memory theatre. Like any art, it will have but one reason for existence: to make
the world better.

Generally, we have to return to constant search and support for quality working
for some projection of the ideal society; without this “ideological” vision we are
doomed to fragmented improvisation and will fall an easy prey to aggressive
agents of society. We are already living in a curated world: every quality of it is
being managed as spontaneous or natural processes have lost pace in competing
with the variety and speed of changes. Actually, the world in peril is losing its
organic ability of gradual adjustment and conservation of its best generative
features. To this dying heart of identities we have to be not a substitute but a
pace-maker; we are part of the solution.