变革环境下博物馆关键性认知的最大公约数——ICOM 2019年京都大会以来博物馆定义修订的回溯

The Shared Essentials of Understanding the Museum in a Changing Environment:A Review of the Museum Definition Revision Since the ICOM Kyoto 2019 Conference

博物馆定义修订并非专业语汇本身研究的进化,而是新时空条件下博物馆生态的反射。以此为基本出发点,有必要从内外部环境变化、研究方法论重建、热难点问题讨论、关键性共识形成、决策机制改革等方面,回溯ICOM 2019年京都大会以来博物馆定义修订工作的进程。将于2022年8月提交表决的博物馆新定义提案,对各国博物馆政策制定、博物馆道德准则调整、博物馆发展战略选择以及博物馆学相关理论研究都有很大影响。但同时也应注意到,新定义中的一些术语尤其是一些新用术语的意义,在修订过程中并没有实现百分之百的共同理解,这些术语或概念极有可能在使用时产生差异,需要在特定的语境下加以具体考察。新定义所提供的更多的是任何一座博物馆都应具备的“最核心的元素”,其作用也似乎更多是指导或引导。

The need to revise the museum definition comes from the reflection of the changing environments in museums in the new times rather than out of the terminological research.It is therefore important to take a full review of the revision process initiated after the ICOM Kyoto 2019 conference from the perspectives of the changing internal and external environments,the formulation of a new research methodology,main issues and challenges,key consensus formation,and the reform of the decision-making mechanism.The proposed new definition,which is to be submitted for voting in August 2022,will have a great impact on the formulation of national museum policies,the adjustment of museum codes of ethics,the choice of museum development strategies,and theoretical research of museology.However,it should also be noted that a full agreement on the meaning of some terms in the new definition,especially those newly used ones,is yet to be achieved,and it is highly likely that these terms or concepts will be used differently and need to be examined in specific contexts.What the new definition outlines is more of the“essence”of what constitutes a museum,and its role seems to be more of guidance or direction.