The future of museums looks shiny and big. At least from the perspective of the new Whitney Museum of American Art.

The museum opened its new home on May 1st at the south of the High Line park, and it’s three times as large as it is used to be.

As the Brooklyn Museum is about to chose a new director, WNYC is discussing the future not only of that art organization, but of museums in general. In the last part of our series, we visited the new Whitney with Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation and WNYC’s art critic Deborah Solomon.

Here are some highlights of the conversation:

On whether the new Whitney proves that for museums, bigger is better:

Walker: “I think we want our museums to serve more people,” he said. “This museum is not only being transformed in its physical space, but in its ethos, of service.”

Solomon: “I think we are seeing a lack of diversity in most museums,” she said. “Of the 400-plus artists at the Whitney today, one-third are women, so that is a very impressive number. I don’t think they have done as well with black and Hispanic artists.”

Darren Walker, Deborah Solomon and Soterios Johnson at the Whitney Museum.

(Gisele Regatao)

First lady Michelle Obama, during the Whitney's inauguration, spoke about the fact that many kids still feel like they don't belong here. Should museums be even more accessible? How?

Solomon: “I think museums really have to think seriously about dropping admission and concentrating on their education departments, to make sure every school kid in New York goes to art museums on a regular basis.”

Walker: “Clearly there is a democratic impulse at play here, it’s not only about ego and building big galleries,” he said. “But the conundrum is, by building something so remarkable and extravagant, the question is, do you price out the very people you want to include?”

In three words, what do you want museums to be?

Solomon: “I want them to be places where you fall in love with art.”

Walker: “Make your spirit soar,” he said. “Three adjectives would be: inspire, amaze, teach.”

In three words, what do you want museums to be? Join the conversation with a comment, or tweet us using  #mymuseum @wnyc.