Museum as a means of solution of social and communicative problems

Abstract

Purpose of the article is to reveal the level of universality of media and communication theory of museum by M.Castelles. Methodology. Analysis of thinking, criticism, deductive logic. Scientific novelty. Integrative approach by Castelles is a significant component in theory of museum as unique medium. This theory is about capacity of museum to overcome hyper-autonomization of physic, subjective and objective world (according to Popper's three worlds). Conclusions. Universality of theory of media and communication of museum by M.Castelles depends on his paradoxical model of future. In this model development of communication facilities isolates people and groups one from another, so it will be difficult to get mutual understanding. But forecasts of Castelles have not come true yet. His article about museum was published in 2001 – 17 years ago and people still can understand one another. Castelles was the first among researchers of museum communication, who correctly used the McLuhan’s formula «medium is a message». For Castelles museum collection is not a sense of museum communication. It is only a special device, which allows museum to influence the society the way other media cannot do. Thus, the universality of Castelles approach is rather more important, than his futurological conclusions. It consists of study of social transformational capacity of museum as a specific medium.