Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Museums And Urban Revitalization: Regional Museums As Catalysts For Physical, Economic, And Social Regeneration Of Local Communities, Robin Foster Westervelt

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Current perspective in museum discourse tells us the traditional model of museum-as-steward is no longer enough, that in order to fully serve their communities and respond to contemporary societal issues, museums must engage in community- building and socially relevant endeavors. Why is the old model of museum-as-steward no longer enough? How can museums engage with their communities in socially relevant issues and partner with civic and other social organizations in order to address current social and economic needs? This thesis addresses these questions and provides insight as to how and why social relevance is critical to the sustainability of museums …