Abstract

In the past twenty years, a growing body of work has addressed the issue of controversial exhibitions – during which time dozens of exhibitions have incited debate or sparked controversy. While the heat surrounding these exhibitions has faded, the question remains: would these topics be controversial today?This paper reports on findings from the three-year Australian and international research project 'Exhibitions as Contested Sites - the role of museums in contemporary society' (funded by the Australian Research Council with partners the University of Sydney History Department, the Australian Museum and the Australian War Memorial). It focuses on the issue of controversial topics by exploring those subjects that are currently considered problematic for museums to engage with. It also examines why, and to whom, certain topics are controversial.

In examining the issue of controversial topics, this paper draws on a variety of perspectives. It explores the views of museum staff and stakeholders using the results of an online survey and focus group discussions with staff and stakeholders in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, and the UK. It also considers the broader Australian community – people who both do and don't visit museums – using the results of two omnibus surveys conducted in Sydney and Canberra. Finally, it examines the perspectives of visitors to Australian and Canadian museums, drawing on visitor surveys at three Canadian museums and two Australian museums, and focus groups with Australian museum visitors.

The issue of controversial topics is unlikely to disappear. By exploring why some subjects become controversial in particular situations, this paper increases our understanding of the role of museums and the context in which they operate early in the 21st century.