Barreras entre los museos y sus públicos en la Ciudad de México

Aquellos que logran llegar a los museos y constituirse en sus públicos son los vencedores de una larga carrera de obstáculos geográ! cos, económicos, educativos, simbólicos, de competencia con la oferta mediática y otros más que los esperan en los recintos, como los dispositivos de comunicación e información o incluso el trato que les brinda el personal de custodia. Muchos no llegan y, de hecho, ni lo intentan. No son ni se sienten convidados. El artículo aborda los retos que se plantean a los museos para dar un atención prioritaria a sus públicos, atraer nuevos visitantes, generar recursos y reconceptualizar su función como instituciones incorporadas al desarrollo económico y cultural de la sociedad contemporánea.People who are successful in ! nding and getting to certain museums, and after that are able to become their audience, deserve the adjective of winner in a race against geographical, economic, educational, symbolic, and media obstacles. Additionally, visitors face obstacles when they face information and communication strategies inside the museum and also, the manners in which the museum�s personnel treat them. Many people not even try to ! nd out about museums at all: they do not feel invited to get there. This article gives an account of the challenges that are posed to museums when they attempt to give emphasize their role of attending their real and potential audiences, as well as to get to know them. Also, the article deals with the ways in which museums try to attract new visitors, generate resources, and also, in rethinking their function as institutions with a key role to cultural and economic development in contemporary society