Our 21st Century Museum
Museums are trusted institutions with valuable assets and enormous potential. Yet a profound 21st century paradigm shift is reshaping the world around us. In this dynamic environment, museums must reshape themselves as well to sustain their relevance and thrive as we move deeper into the century. Museums have been slow to confront this challenge, but for those committed to adapting to the new landscape, there is tremendous leadership opportunity.
As the world evolves, museums must evolve to align themselves with a new set of realities marked by changing demographics and unprecedented global interdependence. Contemporary culture has altered dramatically. Digital technology is now a seamless part of daily life. Our global community is increasingly integrated and connected. Democracies are wrestling with equity and inclusion. And urban communities—Toronto in particular—are more culturally diverse than ever before. Concurrently, audiences’ choices for cultural, leisure, and learning experiences have expanded exponentially, resulting in new competition for cultural institutions.
Looking to the future, museums’ long-standing strengths—their collections, destination buildings, original research, and scholarly authority—remain essential. But alone, they are no longer enough. They must become the foundation upon which new capabilities are built to respond effectively to the changing environment.
What additional qualities are required for 21st century success? Museums must play a central role in community and cultural life. Engage visitors in dynamic ways that are relevant to their own experience. Seek out authentic voices and diverse points of view. Create and present knowledge in new ways that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. Embrace change and pursue innovation.
Long recognized for our multidisciplinary collections, groundbreaking research, exceptional exhibitions, and iconic architecture, the ROM is evolving with the changing landscape and becoming an evermore outward facing institution. Situated in a truly 21st century context—in the most diverse major city in the world, within a province and country known for pluralism, openness, and global perspectives—we are now poised to take a dramatic leap forward on the global stage. We will build upon our strengths and apply them in fresh and far-reaching ways. We will think, act, and invest to build greater engagement through inclusion, transdisciplinary thinking, digital practices, and innovation.
Our ambition for the future is bold, and with our new strategic direction to guide us, we will achieve our goal to become one of the world’s foremost 21st century museums.