To discuss why the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMA) in New York is considered a cultural institution, one must first define the term. According to the RICHES foundation, cultural institutions may be described as the organizations whose mission is to preserve, interpret, and distribute “cultural, scientific, and environmental knowledge” and “promote activities meant to inform and educate citizens” on the related aspects of such knowledge (“Cultural Institutions,” n.d., para 1.). Associations such as museums, archives, scientific and historian societies, and other community education facilities all serve as examples of cultural institutions (“Cultural Institutions,” n.d.). Hence, to meet the definition, MoMA must engage in knowledge conservation, interpretation, and sharing and educate the public on various relevant matters.
The first aspect that was mentioned in the definition is knowledge conservation. According to the RICHES foundation, “maintenance, conservation, revitalization, interpretation, and documentation of heritage” are vital in the functions of such an organization (“Cultural Institutions,” n.d.). Many of MoMA’s operations are devoted to restoring, preserving, and recovering works of art, from conserving architectural models to replicating Picasso’s sculptures in wax (Moody, n.d.; Zycherman, n.d.). Moreover, it enjoys a genuinely astounding diversity of preserved and documented masterpieces, with over 200,000 artworks in the collection today (The Collection, n.d.). Hence, MoMA meets the first part of the ‘requirement’ for qualifying as a cultural institution.
However, educating the public about art is necessary for the diversity of art to be appreciated. One of the essential duties of cultural institutions is fostering people’s various connections with the art heritage (“Cultural Institutions,” n.d.). One of the ways that MoMA achieves this aim is by having nearly half of its collection available online (The Collection, n.d.). By doing so, the museum ensures that people may engage and interact with the art without being physically present, which is a crucial accessibility aspect. Further, MoMA regularly hosts events devoted not only to ‘purely’ art-related themes but also to the questions of activism, education, and others (Educator Activism, n.d.). Lastly, there is a museum-ran magazine, with different departments at MoMA responsible for creating accessible content: for instance, film rankings and recommendations for sources (The Greatest Films You’ve Never Seen, n.d.) Thus, various educational blogs, posts, and physical exhibits in New York aim to educate the citizens regarding a wide range of issues, adding a facet of relevancy and political awareness.
Last but not least, MoMA does not merely operate with a diverse range of media: it actively fosters cultural diversity. MoMA has historically been working with curators from all over the world. Since the 1950s, the museum programs were directed at training, collaborating with, and educating international professionals from other institutions (Institutes and Events, n.d.). This facet of MoMA’s activity is pivotal to its role as a cultural institution. Such organizations are tasked with promoting and transmitting inter-national and inter-generational cultural dialogue and diversity (“Cultural Institutions,” n.d.). Thus, the museum emphasizes including varying approaches that transcend Western contexts. Partly, such an emphasis is possible due to the masterful inclusion of international expertise.
In conclusion, MoMA conserves and shares art from diverse cultures and contexts in every sense of the word. The museum carefully preserves and restores works of art in various forms and from different cultures. Moreover, it emphasizes artistic variety by involving international experts in lectures, training, curating collaborations, and representing culturally diverse artworks. Lastly, MoMA educates its visitors, subscribers, and anyone interested from the general public by providing access to its online and in-person resources, from magazine articles to more traditional exhibitions. Hence, MoMA meets all relevant criteria for being considered a cultural institution.
References
Cultural institutions. (n.d.). RICHES resources. Web.
Educator activism: Social justice, antiracist education, and cultural responsiveness. (n.d.). The Museum of Modern Art. Web.
Institutes and events. (n.d.). The Museum of Modern Art. Web.
Moody, E. (n.d.). Rising from ruin: Conserving Frank Lloyd Wright’s St. Mark’s tower model. The Museum of Modern Art: Inside Out. Web.
The collection. (n.d.). The Museum of Modern Art. Web.
The greatest films you’ve never seen. (n.d.). The Museum of Modern Art: Magazine. Web.
Zycherman, L. (n.d.). Making Picasso’s glass of absinthe in wax. The Museum of Modern Art: Inside Out. Web.