MUSEUMS TASMANIA 2022: THE WHAT IF FACTOR

That 20th C American cum international 'cultural icon' Woody Allen posed the question ... "What if nothing exists and we're all in somebody's dream?" Somewhat likewise Nanette Avery asked “What if there was no tomorrow and everyone showed up anyway...”

More to the point – and quirkiness put to one side – the 'what if factor' is ever present in every 'research endevour'. It also needs to be said that 'research' is quite distinct from 'a search'. For example, if one undertakes a search for, let's say 'blue' you will no doubt discover all kinds of 'blue' in all kinds places but in doing so you will quite probably ignore 'turquoise' and no doubt 'bluishness' along with it. The 'search outcome' is ever likely to be that the are Xshades of 'blue' that fit some criteria or other and it'll hardly be a new understanding – a reinforced understanding possibly but not a NEW one.

On the other hand if one were to 'research blue' colours such as 'turquoise' should not be ignored given that like 'blue' it is a colour. Then comes a serendipitous opportunity to research 'blue' as a colour and thoroughly, and with some intensity. Therefore the 'research outcome' is ever likely to provide a better, or an enhanced or even a new understanding of 'blue'. That might be blue's cultural dimension, blue's actual place in the spectrum etc. etc.

In terms of 'public musingplaces in Tasmania' embracing the 21st C two decade in, there are some 'what ifs' to ponder.

• What if all of Tasmania's 'public musingplace collections' were to find themselves under a single 'governance' regime?

• What if state of the art 21st C technologies were to be engaged in cataloging these collection?

• What if an audit was undertaken taken to reveal Tasmania's 'cultural realities' in all their diversity?

• What if cultural production was to be reassessed and reimagined?

• What if the extinction of species were to be reimagined and reexamined?

• What if an alternative ways to examine histories were to be entertained?

• What if the Community of Ownership and Interest (COI) relative to 'public musingplace collections' were to be acknowledged and celebrated?

• What if everyone everywhere were have reliable access to the contents of 'public musingplace collections' ?

Clearly the boundaries that might be set to constrain 'what if research' must be elastic.

The Mahatma said that a "man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

It turns out it seems, that within the political cum bureaucratic 'class' a belief system exists that is antithetic to change. It seems that runs deeper still and is predisposed, apparently, to the 'status quo' no mater how implausible it might be.

Ronald Regan told us that "the 'status quo' was quite simply for mess we are in."

He said this in defence of Reaganomics cum Thatcherism which blights his rhetoric somewhat with the sting being to do with the need to be forever mindful of the risks involved in asking 'what if'.

Nonetheless, not asking 'what if' is too risky by far because we must always assume that there are expansive understandings on offer and a boundless quantum knowledge yet to be acquired.

Musingplaces are a kind of petri dish within which contestable cultural realities are tested and contested – grow even. If not, well they are just theme parks, businesses or even follies masquerading as musingplaces – simply an accumulations of stuff, an entertainment, a commodity, a marketplace .