A message from RCHS President, Chad Roberts, on support for museums

Recently the Executive branch of the Federal Government escalated their criticism of the museums you love and trust. As an institution that has worked hard for the last 76 years to preserve and share the stories of our community, we find the stated goals and tenor of these critiques troubling.

Museums have worked hard to earn the trust of their communities. While trust in many public institutions has been declining over the past decade, museums have largely held steady. This trust was built over time and is rooted in how we engage with, serve, and are accountable to our communities. That trust has been fortified as the field began to recognize that virtually no story has a singular truth; the same facts can have very different meanings and impacts depending on the lived experiences of the people involved.

At Ramsey County Historical Society (RCHS), we believe Americans, and humans everywhere, deserve the opportunity to learn from our past. History is complex, often messy, and we do our best to ensure that our community has access to facts, context, and the analysis of qualified experts with varying viewpoints. We try to ensure people have what they need to develop an in-depth understanding of history.

We cannot serve you or our community if we focus only on stories of American exceptionalism and ignore difficult subject matter. When you think of your own history, how complete is that story if you exclude the challenges and mistakes that shaped who you are? Museums collecting, preserving, and sharing the lessons learned from past struggles is vital and helps individuals and communities improve. Muting the storytellers robs you, me, and all our fellow Americans of the greatest gift of history; the accumulated wisdom of those that have come before. We deserve better.

RCHS will continue to do our best to preserve the remarkable history of our region, inform our community as effectively as we can, and inspire curious minds to understand their past. We will not shy away from talking about tough topics and will continue to celebrate the great many positive things that have shaped our lives as well. We stand for museums that are independent, accountable to their local communities, and help people understand complex and challenging subjects that matter to the people they serve.

This conversation is playing out right now across the country. We have included links on our website to additional information so you can learn more and form your own opinion.

Thank you for your support of the Ramsey County Historical Society, our shared heritage, and the community we all share.

Chad Roberts
President & CEO

Statement from the White House “Restoring Truth And Sanity To American History”

AAM Statement on the Growing Threats of Censorship Against U.S. Museums

NPR Article “Trump vows to expand his review of U.S. museums. Can he do that?”