Museums: the powerful disseminators of radical thought?

Having recently discovered the writings of the great early Twentieth Century anarchist Emma Goldman. I note that she was particularly engaged with culture as a means of the dissemination of ideas. In her world view ideally as a disseminator of radical thought. Theatre was seen as a powerful tool, for example here is her analysis of George Bernard Shaw's 'Major Barbara' in her essay 'The Social Significance of Modern Drama'.

"...Shaw the dramatist is closer to life--closer to reality, closer- to the historic truth that the people wrest only as much liberty as they have the intelligence to want and the courage to take."

Her subtle and insightful analysis of Shaw, of Major Barbara, and humanity, and society in general is brilliant.

However, before I get carried away, I must bring this back to museums. Are we, as museum practitioners, intelligent enough and courageous enough to get closer to the lives of our audience, to the historic truth of our mission and liberty of thought?

We as a profession in this country have suffered from uncertainty and a lack of confidence for many years. Although this hasn't been only limited to museums as cultural institutions, has this existential angst grown to tip the unconscious into the conscious of our exhibitions, events and education activities?

Can we give a much stronger voice to our longing for social change that values intellectual inquiry and cultural activity in the same way Emma Goldman hoped that theatrical drama would? She had Chekhov and Gorki and the various Russian Revolutions to excite her. We are up against the X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing and political  and intellectual apathy, surely museums must fill that gap. We and Goldman must be the same, here's an edited extract from 'Anarchism and other essays'
She could equally expressing hope for museums as she is for theatrical drama,

"...what other medium could rouse the indignation of Man's conscience? Self-satisfied as the 'cultured' usually are, they could not understand why one should fuss about the fact that thousands of people were starving. Surrounded by beauty...,they could not believe that side by side with them lived human beings degraded to a position lower than a beast's...without hope or ambition. "

Can we be,

"...a bomb explosion, shaking the social structure to its very foundations."

I may just be dreaming, but wouldn't it be wonderful to change lives in this way. If I may be free to be inspired by Goldman again.

The modern museum, operating through the double channel of curator and interpreter, affecting as it does both mind and heart, can be the strongest force in developing social capital, swelling the powerful tide of knowledge over the dam of ignorance, prejudice and superstition.

I like to think that is why we do what we do.