The museum experience is better when you see people like yourself there. Distance, cost, social class, and fear of the unknown are all barriers. Museums provoke feelings of incompetence. People think they won't understand what they'll see. Libraries are known for reciprocity and interaction.
Museums are more passive and lack interaction.
Kids no longer have the freedom and flexibility to wander for an afternoon through a museum. A museum exists perpetually in people's hearts. Identify the assets and deficits of museum-community engagement as we have experienced it in Los Angeles. Mainstream museums are adept at appearing to be community centered through tokenism. The degree and sincerity of community interaction influences the degree of community use and ownership.