It is not unusual for large cities to be plagued by issues of theft and violent crime. San Francisco tends to get a bad rap for retail theft, but recently, museums have become the victim in crime, both locally and internationally. The high value of art and historical artifacts makes museums an appealing target for theft. These recent heists have contributed to the declining respect for community spaces like museums. While thefts are unsettling in all regards, museum heists are a crime against knowledge and their repercussions have long-lasting effects on the community surrounding museums.
The high-profile Louvre heist gained a lot of media attention, in which eight pieces of priceless French crown jewels were stolen from the famous museum. It didn’t take long for the internet to put its own humorous spin on the theft. IKEA Switzerland released an ad for a glass display case captioned, “[it] won’t protect your crown jewels either. But it will give them the right spotlight.” Users on TikTok turned the Louvre heist into Halloween costume inspiration and many posted videos online commenting on the “attractive” mugshots of the suspects involved. In the typical fashion of the digital age, this case offered the perfect opportunity to turn crime into content.
In addition to the Louvre, a local institution has recently experienced heists. On Oct. 15, two suspects broke into the off-site storage facility of the Oakland Museum of California, just across the bay. The suspects stole over 1,000 artifacts, including six Native American baskets, jewelry, political pins and souvenir tokens. While there have been museum heists in the past, two in the span of a week is unusual, to say the least. The impact of stealing priceless artifacts has less to do with the monetary value of the objects and more to do with what they represent for gallery goers.
Museums are hubs of knowledge where we are able to learn about the past and inform future generations. They give us meaningful insight into history, culture, and art that cannot necessarily be found purely through the classroom. Local museums especially provide us with a sense of connection by reminding us of the achievements and discoveries that have been made in our communities. In September, President Trump issued an executive order claiming that certain exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution promote “narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.” This attempted erasure of history demonstrates the power that museums have in our society.
Considered a “third space,” museums provide opportunities for individuals to gather and build community outside of home and work. “Third spaces are important for human connection and a sense of community, even if all you do when you’re there is take note of the people around you or say hello to them,” first-year environmental studies major Margot Chartock said.
Museums specifically offer a unique sense of belonging for community members by fostering educational experiences while being a space for social interaction. The recent museum heist in Oakland, whether targeted or not, is a blatant disrespect towards our community spaces and is representative of the declining appreciation for community assets like museums.
Museum heists are detrimental to the museums themselves but they are truly felt throughout the whole community. They represent a loss of appreciation for storytelling, memory and innovation, and they are symbolic of the decreasing importance of face-to-face interactions. Whether from censorship or crime, future generations are in danger of losing the ability to challenge old perspectives and accept new ones, something that museums are able to teach us that can be hard to find elsewhere.
