Museum Misconceptions

I hope to see museums make more concerted efforts to educate the public. Too many exhibits are of the “passive, didactic looking” than like the engaging Object Stories program (Dartt, Murawski). Exhibits should seek to tell untold narratives, and programs should be places of communication and cross-cultural encounters. For too long, difficult confrontations have been avoided, both inside the museum, and by dominant communities

This is my homework (let 's better call it 'personal research ') for this unit. I have combined my interests in archaeology and museum studies, and I have created an interdisciplinary report.

So many people see history as something dry and lifeless but in reality it is a study that is full of life. There is no better way to see this than through the lens of archaeological artifacts. The people of the past are intrinsically a part of these objects. They were shaped by human hands; some were used in everyday life while others only meant to be appreciated as art. In any case, they show the vitality of history which can sometimes be obscured by the centuries. I want to work with a collection that deals with archaeological artifacts, and ideally I would like to work with objects of Greek or Roman origins. One day I would like the opportunity to create an exhibit where the viewer can see how the objects relate to a whole as well as their own individual characteristics. I want others to have the same sort of experience I had while walking through the Byzantine and Christian Museum; I want them to have a moment of connection to the past and see how alive history can be. I am especially interested in the courses that the Museology program offers which teach the proper methods to curate archaeological collections. The experience of working with the objects in the Burke Museum will benefit my goal of curating a

At the beginning of this summer, I embarked on a journey through history by going to the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The museum is one of my favorites because of its variety of exhibits of history in both science and art. With every trip, the museum always has something new to offer. Going to the museum felt like a completely new experience with the new perspective I have coming from this class. There were many parts of history to look at, but the ones that stood out to me the most was their exhibit on Ancient Egypt. I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit’s information on the artifacts and the funerary practices of this ancient

In Steven Lubar’s book, Inside the Lost Museum: Curating, Past and Present, the recurring idea that museums are “more than the sum of their parts” plays a critical role in the overall argument (329). Lubar notes many aspects that make up a museum, the collection, for example is an essential part of any museum, but the community, as well as the experiences of the patrons create a lasting museum experience. Additionally, Lubar aptly utilizes real-world examples, contemporary and historical, highlighting the work of individuals in museums and establishing a connection between past and current events. Central to this narrative is the example of the lost Jenks Museum. Lubar uses this museum to argue that museums of the past can educate museum goers

The woman who I spoke to at the front desk was very kind and considerate. She was very friendly and trusting and I made me very excited to see the gallery. I was also very encouraged at how many children were present and enjoying their learning experience. I believe that the majority of archaeology’s worth comes from how the public benefits, even if it is only some joy at learning an interesting fact. Seeing children introduced to history and archaeology so young and enjoying the encounter is one that will always bring me a great amount of joy. So, although I wish adults could also benefit from this museum, I truly appreciate its ability to engage childrens’

Throughout the experience, I learned the importance and care of working with an artifact along with operations within a museum. As I toured Heartland Museum, I witnessed all of the items that are stored behind the scenes because museums only keep a small percentage of the belongings on display. I also learned about the process of creating a display, which includes piecing together many details like attraction, relevance, and of course history. Museums must worry about the community’s interest in the displays. Lastly, I learned about the importance of an artifact by working with some of the items. It is important to handle artifacts with care because of the fragility of the item. After the information I learned at the museum, it was my turn to experience the public

My sophomore year, I fell in love with Gertrude Bell. A writer, an explorer, and an archeologist, she introduced me to the mystery and excitement of anthropology. I spent that summer nose deep in Poems from the Divan of Hafiz, and The Thousand and One Churches. The more I read about the Ottoman Empire, the ruins of Ukhaidir and her adventures, the more I wanted to know. Her writings stirred within me a mixture of emotions: excitement, curiosity, passion, longing. The stories were no longer enough; I had to find a way to re-live Bell’s adventures.

This is the basis for including live archaeologists at two of the sections--the food traditions and cultural ideas sections--to explain the data findings as visitors enter the exhibit. The figurines section, included to address the concerns of the goddess community, will not have an archaeologist there to simply explain the data, but to present an archaeological viewpoint on the possible religious use of figurines. In all, the presence of archaeologists within the exhibit will be to create an environment that emphasizes not only discussion but also accurate representation of the data and archaeological interpretation, providing the employed archaeologists the satisfaction that visitors have left with a personal interpretation founded on both cultural and religious beliefs and scholarly information.

In Reading the Past, Ian Hodder argues that Processual, or New, Archaeology is flawed and that we must look at approaches used before its adoption and integrate parts of those approaches into the study of archaeology. He points out that Symbols in Action helped him to develop three ideas regarding how to do this. First, we must consider that material culture has meaning. Second, that the individual is important to the development of theory in archaeology; and finally that archaeology is most closely related to history and should consider that in its approach.

Tourism can be one of the most destructive forces facing archaeological sites and their conservators. Tourists can cause damage by disregarding signs prohibiting touching or littering. Parts of sites may need to be manipulated or even destroyed to allow for visitor access. Striking a balance between allowing the public to interact with a site and preserving it is very difficult. Some sites, like Bet She’an in Israel, give tourists the freedom to touch monuments and even climb onto them to give the visitors authentic experiences, despite the damage it causes. Others, like Pompeii in Italy, keep tourists within certain bounds to protect the sites. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of replicating archaeological sites as

“Why don’t some people believe what archaeologists tell them about their pasts? Many will not accept that the pasts that archaeologists construct for them are correct, how matter how well reasoned the archaeologist or how solid the evidence… How should archaeologists response when people don’t believe them?” This except from Zimmerman’s (2008) paper Dealing with the Fringe essentially frames this week’s theme: discussing the lure of pseudoscientific interpretations of archaeological data, and de-constructing why these explanations are so credible to a large segment of the population.

The vases that were in the exhibit were very pretty they varied from large to small. They had very detailed painting on them no two vases were the same. They varied in color also. They have different designs such as cherry blossom blooms, dragons surrounded by hat appears to be water, some have Koi fish, and some have other designs on them. They differ from some of the other vases that are in the museum in the way that they were sculpted and the way they are designed. The vases that are in other parts of the museum are a lot plainer than the ones that are in the Asian gallery. The one that are in one of the halls are massive and are all white and they are more round and have a smaller area at the top where the vase opens.

According to Suzane Keene (2004), the essence of the traditional museum – ‘as classifier, authoritative holder and producer of knowledge and as source of the “right” interpretation and view of society through place-based exhibitions – is a building’ (p. 3). By contrast, the museum of the future is more of a process or an experience, moving out into the spaces of the communities it serves. Therefore, a fundamental difference between the traditional museum and the museum of the 21st century is the type of space used to preserve and present cultural heritage and the modes of access and availability this space offers. Keene points out to another difference, which has to do with what is central to museums and archives – the object. As the importance of the meaning of the object and its past grows, so does the need to collect and present the intangible, as well as the tangible. The museum of the future sharpens its focus on collecting and exhibiting knowledge, rather than simply the object. Furthermore, with the perspective of new technologies, the process of digitization intensely defines the make-up of the museum of the future. Keene argues that, as inventories and catalogues of collections are increasingly digitized, ‘so they must become available as a single resource, together with related information provided by libraries, archives, sites and monuments’ (p. 4). Additionally, the

Acquiring knowledge has become an intrinsic part of our culture; we are able to receive more accurate knowledge more quickly. Our society’s desire to become more knowledgeable is commendable but our methods make the learning process more impersonal. We tend to bombard ourselves with too much information and because of this only gain superficial knowledge. Museums fill the void created by our inclination to learn rapidly by offering an alternative method of education. Visitors are encouraged to take more time so that they may fully understand an object. Viewing an object in person creates a connection that cannot be duplicated by simply reading information. That connection can stem from appreciation, curiosity, or any number of reasons, but in all cases it allows us to think more deeply about the world, humanity, and ourselves.