ABSTRACT
The issue of homelessness is receiving increased attention and media coverage in the United States. While the current financial downturn, with its ensuing rising unemployment and foreclosures, has led many individuals and families to become homeless for the first time, it has also made it harder for those already homeless to find jobs and stable housing. Despite the national increase of homelessness and its accompanying media coverage, this topic continues to be misunderstood and fraught with misrepresentations. As institutions with the ability to explore current social issues, the power to counter social exclusion, and a desire to be relevant in today’s society, museums have a unique potential to address the issue of homelessness. This paper discusses the topic of adult homelessness, explores documented ways in which U.S. museums have addressed this issue, and concludes with suggestions for future museum work on this matter.
