The Role of Museums in the Strengthen of Concepts of Citizenship and Democracy

Abstract

This study concerns the role of museums in promoting the concepts of democracy and citizenship, by analysing the conclusions of related studies in an attempt to find out how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s museums – as cultural institutions – could fulfil this role. There is a brief critical discussion of the concepts of democracy and citizenship, then an analysis of how museums can promote democratic citizenship by considering opinions and studies related to this. The tools that help museums promote such concepts are identified. How best to exploit these tools to help museums in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in general and some Riyadh museums in particular promote democratic citizenship is discussed. This paper concludes that there are many ways to exploit these tools, such as visitor participation and the making of meaning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s museums.