The following findings are compiled from a Google forms interview that was conducted by allowing the form to circulate organically.  The form was shared with anyone I knew and then the participants were asked to share the survey with folks they knew.  Overall, the form successfully gathered data regarding how folks felt about museums and has allowed for my research to reach further audiences.  The form consisted of five questions which pertain to museums.  There were also four optional questions about the participants demographic which covered: Age, gender identity, highest level of education attained/or in the process of attaining and race/ and or ethnic identity.  The following graphs highlight the findings of the survey.

Age
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The age participants who answered the survey ranged from 13 to 73.
The largest number of respondents were 21 years old.  There were nine folks who were 21.  A close second for participant’s age was 22, with 8 participants in that age range.

 
​ 3. On a scale of 1-5, one being the least and five being the most, how comfortable do you feel in museums?

​​The following chart illustrates that 13 participants feel very comfortable in art museums, 10 feel somewhat comfortable, 9 feel neither comfortable or uncomfortable, and 2 participants feel somewhat uncomfortable.  

   Erin E. Toolis submitted the article “Museums as Sites of  Social Change: Exploring Processes of Placemaking and Barriers to Access and Participation for Underrepresented Communities' ' as their dissertation for a PhD in Physcology from the University of California Santa Cruz.  In this dissertation, Toolis was advised by Professor Phillip Hammock and the article is peer reviewed and was published in 2018.  A dissertation is written by PhD students as their first major contribution to academia.  Students research and create an academic paper which is both accurate and brings new information into the subject which they are writing about.  Something important to note is that Toolis’s article can be found on the eScholarship website which is a free database that contains articles from the University of California.  Normally, academic databases are only accessible through a college student’s university because the university pays for the students to have access to the journals.  The paywall for academic journals is not accessible for all.  Scholars such as Toolis are ensuring the general public has access to academic articles through their commitment to publishing their work in a database which allows for research to be free and accessible for all.  In this article I will summarize Toolis’s research regarding the psychology of why members of marginalized communities feel uncomfortable in museum spaces.

   Feeling uncomfortable in a museum is not an isolated experience.  Many folks avoid museums because of the discomfort or sense of not belonging within museum spaces.  It is important to point out that this feeling of discomfort is largely felt by people of color and those of low socioeconomic status.  The discomfort felt in museums is not caused by the visitors but, it is a situation rooted in larger systemic issues.  However, by folks being aware of the systemic issues at play, one can begin to understand how they can overcome these issues which result in a physiological barrier between them and museum spaces.  One must note that while museums may be regarded in history as a place that is often visited by the wealthy, public museums  belong to everyone and everyone should feel comfortable to attend.  This article aims to bring awareness and validate the psychological barrier felt by people of color and those of low socioeconomic status that they feel when attending museums.  If you are not affected by this barrier, being conscious of what other folks face can create solidarity which can enact social change to shift the narrative about museums and who belongs in them.    
 
   Systemic issues regarding inequality and racism have had devastating effects on marginalized communities which threaten their livelihood along with recreational activities.  Affluent areas are inaccessible for the majority of the population because of the high price of living.   Most museums are located in spaces that are affluent, which means that anyone who does not live in the neighborhood must commute to visit museums.  In the Los Angeles area, museums are often located in downtown LA, the community of Mid-Wilshire and Pasadena.  All of these neighborhoods are quite expensive and home to affluent individuals.  Therefore, the everyday person must venture into these neighborhoods which can trigger feelings of discomfort.  Due to societal implications of creating the economic barriers which propel inequality and have created this notion of keeping folks out of affluent neighborhoods through high living prices (Toolis 7).  Therefore, one must be conscious that such neighborhoods make people uncomfortable.  By placing museums in affluent areas a psychological barrier is created.  Do not allow this initial feeling of discomfort to deter you, be aware that all spaces are created for everyone.  While inequality does create inaccessibility, it can not ban anyone from a public space.  It is important to note that public spaces reflect inequalities through their attendance rates and the demographics of visitors.  Therefore, it is not debatable whether systemic racism and inequality has translated into psychological barriers.  Taking back public spaces begins with creating a safe space within institutions and raising awareness for the discomfort folks feel.

   Furthermore, one can also theorize that placing museums in affluent areas is a decision that can be regarded as a move that perpetuated the notion of museums serving affluent and Eurocentric demographics.  Considering the historical context of museums and how this history has created a detrimental effect on those who feel comfortable in museums it is important to acknowledge every detail which contributes to the discomfort felt in museums.  However, it is important to acknowledge that while museums have previously been spaces that perpetuate inequality, they are now moving to be spaces of equality and change (Toolis 40).  Through outreach programs museums are making an effort to reach communities which are underrepresented in the space.  By museums making efforts to reach marginalized communities, they are communicating to the individuals living in the space that they belong in museums.   Such efforts work towards breaking down the extensive psychological barrier faced by people of color that refrain them from visiting museums.  
While efforts from museums are a step in the right direction towards correcting the inadvertent segregation in the artworld, it is up to the communities affected by this exclusion to decide when they feel comfortable to enter these spaces.  If you face the physiological barrier which makes you feel uncomfortable in museum spaces, know you are not alone.  Many marginalized community members and people of color face this challenge.  It is up to you to decide when efforts from museums and society are enough to make you feel welcome in these spaces.  However, do not let societal wrongdoings keep you out of educational and enriching experiences that belong to everyone.  Art has the power to change lives and if you are ready to enter museum spaces it could change yours.  

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The following link can be used to take you directly to the article: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1sb502b2

​Citation: 

Toolis, E. E. (2018). Museums as sites of social change: Exploring processes of     placemaking and barriers to access and participation for underrepresented communities. UC Santa Cruz. ProQuest ID: Toolis_ucsc_0036E_11691. Merritt ID: ark:/13030/m5sb9458. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1sb502b2

   In order to connect scholarly research and public knowledge regarding museums and the inaccessibility of these spaces in relation to people of color, I looked into my own community for first hand accounts of how Latinx folks feel towards museums.  Throughout my undergraduate experience I have often come across members of my community who expressed that they do not go to museums often or do not feel comfortable in such spaces.  Whether such statements came from my family and friends or individuals I met throughout random encounters,  I found this narrative to be largely collective with individuals I spoke with.  In my interviews, I focused on ten individuals who shared their opinions and perspectives on museum spaces.  Some of the demographics of these individuals included: individuals born in Mexico, folks born in El Salvador, and Latinx individuals.  It is important to note that the interviewees all live in the United States.  These individuals greatly contributed to understanding the barriers faced by the Latinx community and museums by granting access to their thoughts and feelings regarding museums.  

   When the interviewees were asked “Do you feel comfortable in museums? Why or Why not?, four individuals felt uncomfortable most times in museums, two folks felt neutral about museums and two individuals felt  comfortable in museums.  This research shows that most individuals felt mainly uncomfortable in museums while a smaller percentage of folks felt comfortable in museums.  Something that sheds light on why folks feel uncomfortable in museum spaces can be answered by the following interview questions: “When you think of museums, who do you think goes to these spaces most often?” and “Do you feel your favorite art is reflected in museum collections?” 

   Regarding the question regarding who goes to museum spaces, the overwhelming number of answers spoke towards affluent, white, or educated individuals visiting museums.  Such preconceived notions of who visits museums translates into creating a narrative of who museums are made for and belong to.  Altering the narrative of who often visits museums can influence those who do not fit in these categories to feel comfortable in museums.  It was not shocking to see folks feel this way in regards to who visits museums most often; this is tied to larger systemic issues that are rooted in a long history of affluence and Eurocentricness being most prevalent in museums.  The question, “do you feel your favorite art is reflected in museum collections?”, also provides insight into whether folks see things they are interested in in museum spaces.  This also influences how often people will visit museums because if they see art they are interested in, they will be more inclined to visit more often.  The interview results stated that half of the participants felt their favorite art was reflected while the other half felt their favorite art is not in museum collections.  

    From these interview findings one can conclude that while some Latinx and Hispanic folks feel comfortable in museums many do not.  Furthermore, it is important to note that there is an overarching notion that educated, white and affluent folks most often visit museums.  I would like to express that scholarly research does support this statement, thus validating the experience of people of color.  While society clings to this notion, this should not dictate that only these folks belong in museums.  This is why organizations and museum institutions are actively working to deconstruct such notions so museums become a diverse and accessible space for individuals of all demographic backgrounds.  In the interviews, interviewees revealed a range of dates that they had last visited museums.  Younger folks had visited museums as recently as two weeks ago, while the older folks had gone up to five years since they last visited a museum.  Such demographics can speak to how change is slowly beginning.  The younger generation has benefitted from efforts which affirm diverse communities belong in museums.  By contrast,  older generations who grew up in a different reality of society face emotions of feeling out of place in museums.