The endurance of whiteness in a museum

This article examines the persistent and enduring nature of whiteness and racial inequalities within the UK’s cultural sector in general, and in one particular UK-based museum. We shed light on the challenges the institution faces in its journey towards adopting decolonisation and anti-racist practices. Drawing on ethnographic research, we conduct a sociological examination of the structural and institutional factors that hinder diversity efforts within the museum, examining whiteness as physical, symbolic and institutional. Despite notable strides, the institution grapples with confronting its inherent whiteness, at times unintentionally replicating what Sara Ahmed characterises as ‘the politics of diversity as an institutional performance’ notwithstanding genuine efforts towards transformation. While commitments to racial equality and decolonisation are evident in changing some curation and recruitment processes, as well as external activities, their consistent integration into daily museum management remains uncertain. Our critique, substantiated by evidence, is directed towards the cultural and heritage sector, with a focus on the perspectives of ethnically diverse creatives. We conclude that, for decolonial efforts to transcend mere performance, they must acknowledge the endurance of whiteness and pivot towards a central focus on racial equality.