"Museums are tombs, and it looks like everything is turning into a museum"

This quote by Robert Smithson suggests that museums are locations of preservation, where the past is kept alive and unchanged. He indicates that the world is ending up being significantly static and imperishable, as if it is being developed into a museum. This could be analyzed as a criticism of modern society, where progress and modification are not constantly valued. Smithson may be suggesting that the world is becoming too concentrated on preserving the past, and insufficient on producing a much better future. He might be warning us that if we do not embrace change and progress, we will end up being stuck in the past and not able to progress. This quote is a pointer that we need to aim to create a better future, instead of merely preserving the past.