International Museum Day: The Museum That Preserves the Story of Public Relations
By Lucy Luc
Did you know there is a museum that does not display sculptures or famous paintings, but instead preserves the history of public relations and the stories behind communication itself?
When I first came across the Museum of Public Relations online, I was immediately curious. A museum entirely dedicated to PR felt unexpected, yet the more I read about it, the more meaningful it became to me.
Located in New York City, the museum was founded in 1997 and has grown into the world’s largest collection of public relations history, housing more than 5,000 artifacts, oral histories, letters, photographs, films, and rare documents from across the profession’s evolution. It includes original materials from pioneers such as Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays, whose work helped shape the early foundations of public relations long before social media or modern digital communication existed.
Although I have not visited the museum in person yet, reading through its archives and mission this International Museum Day made me reflect on how much communication shapes our everyday lives, often without us even noticing it.
We usually think of museums as places that preserve physical objects from the past. But this museum preserves conversations, campaigns, public sentiment, and moments that influenced how society understands the world around it. That idea stayed with me.
One line from the museum especially resonated with me. It described public relations as communication for the public good. I found that powerful because PR is often misunderstood as simply publicity or promotion. Yet the museum presents it as something much deeper and more human. It explores how communication has influenced social movements, public trust, education, healthcare, politics, and communities throughout history.
As I continued reading, one section especially stood out to me. In an interview about the museum’s work, founder Shelley Spector spoke about why the museum explores social issues, including racial justice movements, through the lens of public relations. She explained that movements such as Black Lives Matter are themselves forms of communication. The protest signs, hashtags, public demonstrations, and messages shared across communities are all ways people communicate emotions, experiences, and demands for change to the world around them.
I found that perspective incredibly eye opening.
It reminded me that communication is not limited to boardrooms, campaigns, or corporate announcements. Communication lives in communities. It exists in activism, storytelling, and public expression. When people gather to advocate for change, they are also shaping narratives, influencing public understanding, and building connections with audiences. In many ways, they are practicing the same core principles that public relations is built upon.
Shelley Spector also described PR as bridging the gap between organizations and their audiences. That idea felt especially meaningful to me because it shifts the focus of PR away from persuasion and toward understanding. At its best, communication is not about talking at people. It is about listening, responding, and creating dialogue.
Reading that made me think deeply about the role communicators play today, especially in Canada where conversations around diversity, inclusion, equity, and representation continue shaping our media and public discourse.
The museum’s collection stretches across many areas of communication, including financial PR, medical PR, and military communication. It also highlights what it calls the “Hidden History of PR,” uncovering stories of professionals whose contributions were overlooked because of their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Reading that reminded me how important representation continues to be within communications today, especially in a multicultural society where people want to see themselves reflected authentically in stories and campaigns.
What I appreciated most was that the museum does not only celebrate the successes of PR. It also encourages people to learn from the profession’s failures, ethical challenges, and evolving responsibilities. In today’s world where misinformation spreads quickly and trust in institutions feels increasingly fragile, that lesson feels incredibly relevant.
The museum openly speaks about the importance of integrity in communication. That honesty made the experience feel more authentic to me. It acknowledges that communicators hold real responsibility because words shape perception, influence relationships, and affect how people understand important issues.
I also found myself deeply moved reading about Bill Nielsen, whose oral history is preserved by the museum. Throughout his career in journalism, government, agency work, and corporate communications at Johnson & Johnson, he believed public relations was not simply a job but a calling. He spoke about communication with a sense of purpose and responsibility, especially when it came to rebuilding trust and mentoring younger generations entering the profession.
That idea lingered with me long after I finished reading.
As someone beginning my own journey in public relations, I sometimes think about how quickly communication changes. New platforms appear constantly, trends shift overnight, and technology continues reshaping how people connect with one another. Yet the museum reminded me that while tools evolve, the heart of communication remains timeless. People still want honesty. They still want understanding. They still want stories that make them feel seen and connected.
The museum’s theme, “Looking Back | Moving Forward,” captures this beautifully. It reflects the idea that understanding the history of communication helps us become more thoughtful communicators in the future. What we create today eventually becomes part of history too.
Every campaign, public statement, social movement, interview, and message contributes to the story future generations will look back on one day.
That realization made me appreciate why preserving PR history matters so much.
This International Museum Day, I found myself grateful that spaces like the Museum of Public Relations exist, even for people exploring from afar. Not every museum preserves paintings or artifacts. Some preserve the evolution of trust, storytelling, and human connection across time.
Lucy Luc is the current president of the Student Steering Committee and a CPRS Toronto ACE Award–winning student in her final year of Humber Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Public Relations program, where she is completing her thesis.