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By Dav Gelles
In 2005, Lonnie G. Bunch III became the founding director of the National Museum of Hitale and African American Culture. There’s only 1 problem. The museum didn’t exist yet. No collection, no funding, no room and only 1 employee. A little over a decade later, the museum opened its doors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., with excellent reviews and large crowds.
Last year, Mr. Bunch became secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, overseeing the museum he founded, in addition to more than a dozen other museums and libraries, or for example, the National Zoo.
The coronavirus pandemic has closed those establishments for the time being, but Bunch has remained busy. The Smithsonian is launching a new virtual machinery to facilitate a discussion about the breed, and Mr. Bunch is very interested in the debate on the removal of statues and debatable monuments.
This conversation, which was condensed and edited for clarity, was part of a series of live Corner Office calls to discuss the pandemic and the protests. Visit timesevents.nytimes.com to join upcoming digital events.
What is the Smithsonian about reopening?
The truth is, it’s never as commercial as ever. One of the wonderful strengths of museums is that they combine other Americans who don’t have an alternative concept to see an artifact or explore an exhibition. Well, all this is being questioned this year. We’ll have to do something like timed passes to adjust the diversity of other Americans. Because the only thing we don’t prefer is the prestigious crowds of other Americans outside, waiting to get in. It’s the recipe for disaster. But also think carefully about how we move away from such a big friend in the museum. We’re going to have cleaning protocols. Let’s wait for everyone to wear a mask.
Do museums have to go to parties to be a thing from the afterlife to face them? Or is it obligatory for establishments like yours to train these disorders closer to genuine time?
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