Established in 1990 to house the personal collection of Occidental Petroleum magnate Dr. Armand Hammer, the Hammer Museum at UCLA has evolved into a contemporary community hub for the city of Los Angeles (“About Us”). Although the permanent collection primarily contains works by old masters, over the last two decades director Ann Philbin has guided Hammer’s focus toward contemporary exhibitions and engaging public programming (“About Us”). While special exhibitions and its permanent collection do contribute to Hammer’s community impact, the museum focuses its attention on its robust public programs, which aim to serve a wide range of audiences who may not be traditional museum-goers. When viewed through the lens of Gail Anderson’s “Reinventing the Museum Tool,” accompanied by the museum’s mission statement as a framework guiding its community engagement, Hammer Museum is well on its way to serving as a ‘reinvented museum,’ but still has room for growth.
Anderson developed the “Reinventing the Museum Tool” to guide museums and their audiences through the evolutions in the museum field, predicated by sweeping political, social, economic, and environmental shifts in the 20th and 21st centuries (Anderson 2). The ‘reinvented museum’ represents “a [museum’s] systemic shift in attitude, purpose, alignment, and execution,” and Anderson’s tool presents institutions with an opportunity to examine current practices and adjust accordingly to better meet the demands of our ever-shifting world (Anderson 2). She presents a spectrum ranging from “Traditional Museum” to “Reinvented Museum,” broken into four categories: Institutional Values, Governance, Management Strategies, and Communication Ideology (Anderson 3-4). Each of these categories are further divided into specific traits that help define the category (Anderson 3-4). This paper assesses Hammer Museum using the Institutional Values and Communication Ideology characteristics of “Multiple viewpoints,” “Audience focused,” “Accessible information,” and “Welcoming” (Anderson 3-4).
An analysis of Hammer’s mission statement helps foreground the discussion of the institution’s standing as a ‘reinvented museum.’ The museum places its mission statement front and center on the homepage of its website, emphasizing its importance: “The Hammer Museum at UCLA believes in the promise of art and ideas to illuminate our lives and build a more just world” (“Hammer Museum”). This statement does not directly reference the museum’s permanent collection or an intended localized audience, nor does it specifically speak to how the museum will accomplish this mission. Instead, it pivots the museum’s attention to valuing and promoting the power of ideas in an interconnected global community, ideas that “spark meaningful encounters” within the museum as a “vibrant intellectual and creative nexus” (“About Us”). This orientation allows the museum more flexibility in the breadth of its programming, exhibitions, and overall community engagement, and lays the groundwork for this mission statement to remain relevant and successful even as the museum, its community, and the world continue to evolve. It also empowers the museum to welcome a much wider audience through its programmatic offerings.
Ranging from panel discussions on politics and social justice, to screenings of popular and indie films, to talks and tours related to its current exhibitions, Hammer’s existing public programs showcase multiple viewpoints (“Hammer Channel”). Speaking to its political programming in particular, the museum lends an air of authority to its programs by facilitating conversations between educated and involved panelists. For example, two members of Congress who directly experienced the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 participated in Hammer’s “Insurrection at the US Capitol 2021: What’s Next” panel, held a week after the events (“Insurrection at the US Capitol”). Members of the community are invited to ask questions during these programs, which may lead to the sharing of additional or opposing viewpoints. But perhaps directly including more perspectives on political events, whether drawing from Political Science students at UCLA, or local high schoolers involved in Model United Nations or debate programs, would offer glimpses into how these national events impact younger residents of Hammer’s community. While Hammer’s existing programs may share viewpoints of and appeal to adults of many ages, ultimately the future belongs to our teens and young adults. Amplifying their voices and ideas, alongside these established voices of authority, creates a culture of curiosity and diversity in perspectives, and perhaps also offers a new type of meaningful encounter to a new type of audience.
Through the years, Hammer has focused on its younger audiences in other ways, specifically through employment programs, public programming, and events oriented toward college students. The museum stands a few blocks from UCLA’s campus, and Hammer offers work-study employment to UCLA students via its Student Educator docent programs and other internships and paid opportunities (“Employment”). In 2009, Hammer extended its reach beyond these student employees to the larger UCLA student community by establishing the Hammer Student Association (HSA) (“Hammer Student Association”). Students selected to participate in HSA create and execute events and publications to engage their peers, with the assistance of Hammer staff and artists-in-residence (“Hammer Student Association”). HSA’s events are for students and by students, resulting in unique programming that otherwise may not have been imagined or produced: 2009’s inaugural “Bike Night at the Hammer!” drew a diverse crowd with bike valet service, food trucks, music, and a bike-themed movie screening (“Bike Night at the Hammer! 2009”). A search for “bike night” on Hammer’s website reveals that this program’s activities expanded, and it evolved into an annual event through at least 2013, suggesting the event also resonated with an audience beyond local UCLA students.
Continuing to partner with intended audiences to design events, exhibitions, and programs is perhaps an untapped resource that could enhance Hammer’s audience focus and encourage more diversity and engagement among the museum’s community. Hammer’s direct involvement of its student audience in creating programming they would enjoy is reminiscent of the Worcester Art Museum opening its “Meow: A Cat-Inspired Exhibition” to art submissions from its community – it grants individuals a direct stake in the event, creating the opportunity for truly personal and meaningful encounters (Rozan). Most of Hammer’s programs and exhibitions appear to be developed in-house without direct community involvement (other than artist collaboration as relevant), but perhaps continuing with community collaborations could increase its direct focus on its audience and inspire both curiosity and meaningful engagement in return.
In addition to creating diverse programs, Hammer also advocates for diversity and inclusion (D&I) within the museum, as noted on its “Diversity & Inclusion” page on its website. Yet the outcomes of those efforts are not included among the museum’s publicly available information. The museum has established “an internal, cross-departmental working group of Hammer Museum employees,” known as DIG (Diversity & Inclusion Group), that “[explores] internal and external strategies to embed inclusive practices in museum work” (“Diversity & Inclusion”). The website indicates this work is done through “thoughtful and provocative exhibitions and programs,” but accessible examples of this work are not linked for easy visibility. While much of its programming does show diversity in its format, social points, and culture, audiences who may be newer to the D&I concept may not as easily discern which programs might fall under this umbrella. Highlighting examples of programs and exhibitions that speak to this goal, and explaining how and why they contribute to it, would be a helpful and educational addition. Additionally, Hammer could share the successes and failures of its DIG efforts via a quarterly blog post or email newsletter. Full disclosure of this information would further demonstrate the museum’s commitment to the intention and make this information easily and clearly available to its community, building trust in the process.
Beyond the efforts outlined above, Hammer strives to serve as a welcoming environment for its community by leaving space for visitors to engage with the museum to whatever level they wish. Stephen Weil argues that “what the museum might be envisioned as offering to the public has grown from mere refreshment…to education…to nothing short of communal empowerment” (Weil 34). However, perhaps the most welcoming museums do not simply evolve from one model to the next, but inhabit a space that encompasses all three and more – regardless of what a visitor would like to experience on any given day, they are welcome to experience it in a museum. Hammer welcomes its community’s individual experiences in many ways: its central courtyard is open to the public for studying, relaxing in the shade, or enjoying a cup of coffee; creative interactive guides are available to visitors touring the galleries with children; its programs are readily available online via hosted Zoom events and recordings of in-person events; and admission is free for all (“University Students,” “Family Visits,” “Hammer Channel,” “Visit”). Visitors are free to select their level of engagement on any given day at the museum.
Yet while much of what Hammer offers will likely feel welcoming to experienced museum-goers, some of its programming may still feel inaccessible or intimidating to newer audiences; Hammer’s exhibitions and programs can delve into difficult social topics that may feel overwhelming, even to an experienced individual. Welcoming these new audiences into the museum’s community is especially important, since the museum hosts so many socially-oriented programs with the potential to draw audiences from outside of the arts and culture realm. Sharing virtual and in-person museum guides for first-time visitors would help those new community members feel more welcome and comfortable navigating the museum. Such a guide could include interesting facts about the building, self-led tours of highlights in the museum’s collection with suggestions on how to engage with the art, questions to spark conversation about current programs and exhibitions, and ways to continue learning beyond the museum’s walls. Hammer has already created informal guides like this for its family and K-12 audiences, but nothing similar exists for adult audiences (“Family Visits”). These sorts of resources can help enthusiastically welcome new visitors while facilitating community-building and creating new opportunities for meaningful encounters.
Hammer Museum makes meaningful, considered efforts to establish itself as a ‘reinvented museum’ among its community and its peers. Its timely social and political programs and exhibitions, collaboration with local communities, and advocacy for diversity and inclusion demonstrate that the museum is dedicated to “[illuminating] our lives and [building] a more just world” through the “promise of art and ideas.” (“Hammer Museum”). But the museum still has room for growth, specifically in its open sharing of information that can establish trust and rapport with its community, increasing its collaborative efforts with its audience directly, and welcoming new audiences into a meaningful museum experience. Hammer Museum’s reinvention has been occurring in myriad ways, on many different facets, and there is no ceiling in sight. Gail Anderson’s “Reinventing the Museum Tool” can continue to spark helpful conversations to guide the museum in its continued evolution.
Works Cited
“About Us.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/about-us. Accessed 15 July 2022.
Anderson, Gail. “A Framework: Reinventing the Museum.” Reinventing the Museum: The Evolving Conversation on the Paradigm Shift, 2nd ed., edited by Gail Anderson, Altamira Press, 2012, pp. 1-9.
“Bike Night at the Hammer! 2009.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events/2009/04/bike-night-at-the-hammer-2009. Accessed 16 July 2022.
“Diversity & Inclusion.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/about-us/diversity-inclusion. Accessed 17 July 2022.
“Employment.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/about-us/employment-opportunities. Accessed 16 July 2022.
“Family Visits.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/visit/family-visits. Accessed 17 July 2022.
“Hammer Channel.” Hammer Museum, https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/. Accessed 15 July 2022.
“Hammer Museum.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/. Accessed 15 July 2022.
Hammer Search. Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/search?search=bike+night. Accessed 16 July 2022.
“Hammer Student Association.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/edu/students/hsa. Accessed 16 July 2022.
“Insurrection at the US Capitol 2021: What’s Next?” Hammer Museum, https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/video/1579/insurrection-at-the-us-capitol-2021-whats-next. Accessed 16 July 2022.
Rozan, Adam. “Week 2: Visitor Engagement with Adam Rozan.” MUSE-S100: Introduction to Museum Studies. 27 Jun 2022, Harvard Extension School. Class Lecture.
“University Students.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/students. Accessed 17 July 2022.
“Visit.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/visit. Accessed 17 July 2022.
Weil, Stephen. “From Being about Something to Being for Somebody.” Making Museums Matter, Smithsonian Books, 2002, pp. 28-52.
Originally written July 2022.
Art with an Opinion 