A pragmatic approach to understanding sustainability strategies of small, private museums: accidental ethnography through critical realism

Abstract

This study employs an accidental ethnography approach, grounded in critical realism, to identify the sustainability strategies of small, private museums in Bali, Indonesia. Through reflective and immersive fieldwork at Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA), data were gathered through reflections, discussions, spontaneous observations, and interactions during various museum activities over time. The aim was to understand how ARMA aligns traditional cultural values with contemporary business models to maintain economic viability and social relevance. Key findings include nine novel strategies for sustainability and preservation, as well as four new avenues through which private museums can exert socio-cultural and economic impacts. This research contributes to the understanding of sustainability in small museum contexts by demonstrating how critical realism and accidental ethnography provide a robust framework for uncovering complex, context-specific strategies.

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