The First Amendment museum The Newseum will be hosting its final public event on Wednesday evening as it closes its doors this month after years of financial struggles.
The final event will be focused on the amendment’s role in today’s news and political landscape.
Starting with the artifacts, some will go into storage in Maryland, while others will be returned to their owners. The staff will also be moving to a temporary office space early next year. Of course, I see the symbolism,” said Carrie Christofferson, the Newseum’s executive director. “But we’ve got to focus forward.”
Although we do not yet know when and if the museum will reopen, but here are some takes from few leaders regarding their views in Newseum.
Robert McCartney, Washington Post Senior Regional Correspondent: “I was not a big fan,” he said. “It didn’t seem to deal with many of the hard-hitting issues that face the news.” McCartney wants to see more exhibits that deal with journalism’s myriad struggles.
Tamara Christian, International Spy Museum President: Christian hopes the Newseum keeps its sidewalk display of front pages from major newspapers around the country. “We particularly love seeing how different media outlets cover breaking intelligence/espionage stories,” she wrote in an email.
Amy Eisman, American University’s Journalism Division Director: Eisman wants to see the Newseum use its D.C. location to support real journalism.
Doyle McManus, Georgetown University’s Journalism Program Director: “I don’t think anyone in journalism wants us to turn into museum objects,” said McManus. He hopes the next version has fewer exhibits and more participatory activities. “It was designed for a bygone era, when journalism meant newspapers and televisions principally,” he said. “But how can journalism survive [today]? What experiments are out there that are working?”
Lucy Dalglish, University Of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College Of Journalism Dean: “The students like the exhibitions on journalism, not the trendy stuff,” she said, citing the exhibitions on elections and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs as two other favorites. Dalglish is also a member of the Newseum’s Freedom Forum’s board of advisors.
Svetlana Legetic, Brightest Young Things Founder: “It’s not cheap to do anything in that space. It didn’t lend itself to trying new stuff,” Legetic said. She hopes to see the Newseum move into a “less cumbersome” space and reallocate its resources towards more interactive exhibitions and programming.
