Displaying Displaying CulturesCultures

(2)(2)The poetics of museum The poetics of museum

displaydisplay

Displaying Cultures: Displaying Cultures: TrendsTrends

What can you say about the following trends What can you say about the following trends in communicating culture in a museum in communicating culture in a museum setting?setting?

There is widespread interest in creating new There is widespread interest in creating new museums of cultural identity.museums of cultural identity.

Museums are beginning to retell the past through Museums are beginning to retell the past through the introduction of multiple points of view.the introduction of multiple points of view.

Through collaborative design projects which Through collaborative design projects which incorporate the diversity of points of view incorporate the diversity of points of view intercultural communication is improved.intercultural communication is improved.

Displaying Cultures: Displaying Cultures: TrendsTrends

Museums of national identity act as gathering Museums of national identity act as gathering spots in the global community.spots in the global community.

The notion of 'edutainment' is crucial to the The notion of 'edutainment' is crucial to the museum economy.museum economy.

New technologies are integral to the modern New technologies are integral to the modern museum experience.museum experience.

The museum is becoming a 'moral artefact'.The museum is becoming a 'moral artefact'.

National Museum of the National Museum of the American IndianAmerican Indian

Lets use the National Museum of the American Lets use the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C as a mini-case study to Indian in Washington, D.C as a mini-case study to investigate the issues already raised.investigate the issues already raised.

When the designers and architects of the National When the designers and architects of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., began consultations with native leaders about their began consultations with native leaders about their project a decade ago, the message was clear: We project a decade ago, the message was clear: We want the museum to tell the truth, the elders said. want the museum to tell the truth, the elders said. But how do you take such an abstract idea and But how do you take such an abstract idea and translate it into architectural reality? The answer, the translate it into architectural reality? The answer, the designers found, was to let Native Americans' designers found, was to let Native Americans' sensibilities and traditions wind their way into every sensibilities and traditions wind their way into every nook and cranny of the site.nook and cranny of the site.

Stefan Lovgren for National Geographic NewsStefan Lovgren for National Geographic News

September 24, 2004September 24, 2004

National Museum of the National Museum of the American IndianAmerican Indian

How does the architecture correspond to the ideals as expressedBy the elders?

National Museum of the National Museum of the American IndianAmerican Indian

How is culture represented by the building, internally and externally?

National Museum of the National Museum of the American IndianAmerican Indian

National Museum of the American Indian Exhibitions

The links below explore how the web site and current exhibitions mirrorThe architectural ambitions of the museum.

Displaying CultureDisplaying Culture

‘‘Museums, expository spaces Museums, expository spaces charged with garnering, caring for charged with garnering, caring for and exhibiting those objects that and exhibiting those objects that symbolise some of our deepest symbolise some of our deepest feelings and hopes …’ (Hooper-feelings and hopes …’ (Hooper-Greenhill, 2004: 557)Greenhill, 2004: 557)

Museums as communicators:Museums as communicators: Communication as a process of Communication as a process of

transmissiontransmission Behavourist learning theoryBehavourist learning theory

Communication as a part of cultureCommunication as a part of culture Constructivist learning theoryConstructivist learning theory

Displaying CultureDisplaying Culture Modernism and the modernist museumModernism and the modernist museum

ReasonReason superstitionsuperstition Rationality Rationality VV subjective knowledgesubjective knowledge

… … institutions such as museums were institutions such as museums were established to spread out, as though established to spread out, as though upon a table, those things that could be upon a table, those things that could be observed, measured, classified, named observed, measured, classified, named and which presented a universally valid and which presented a universally valid and reliable picture of the world. (ibid: and reliable picture of the world. (ibid: 559)559)

Descarte’s episteme/Kant’s ‘pure Descarte’s episteme/Kant’s ‘pure reason’reason’

One of the social structures that One of the social structures that emerged in the 18emerged in the 18thth and 19 and 19thth centuries to centuries to mediate the cultural values of the mediate the cultural values of the enlightenment was the museum.enlightenment was the museum.

The Modernist MuseumThe Modernist Museum

The ideal modernist museum:The ideal modernist museum: Produced and disseminated knowledgeProduced and disseminated knowledge Converted raw humanity to civil societyConverted raw humanity to civil society Was encyclopedic – acting as a universal archiveWas encyclopedic – acting as a universal archive Had private spaces (for the production of Had private spaces (for the production of

knowledge by experts) and public spaces (for knowledge by experts) and public spaces (for knowledge consumption)knowledge consumption)

Stood for ‘higher’, ‘purer’ values than the Stood for ‘higher’, ‘purer’ values than the mundane world of the everydaymundane world of the everyday

Was established by proud city fathers or by Was established by proud city fathers or by nations celebrating their political statusnations celebrating their political status

The Modernist MuseumThe Modernist Museum The modernist museum works with a The modernist museum works with a

theory of communication as transmission theory of communication as transmission underpinned by a learning theory which is underpinned by a learning theory which is based on behaviourist ideas.based on behaviourist ideas. Communicative aim = enlighten and educateCommunicative aim = enlighten and educate Authoritative source Authoritative source uninformed receiveruninformed receiver Learning theory = behaviourismLearning theory = behaviourism Stimulus Stimulus responseresponse Curator = power broker Curator = power broker visitor = visitor =

disempowereddisempowered

The Modernist MuseumThe Modernist Museum

To what extent were the ‘displays’ To what extent were the ‘displays’ you created ‘modernist’ in the ways I you created ‘modernist’ in the ways I have outlined?have outlined?

How could they have been How could they have been otherwise?otherwise?

The challenges of a post-The challenges of a post-modern worldmodern world

Issues of narrative and voice.Issues of narrative and voice. What is said and who says itWhat is said and who says it The feminist voiceThe feminist voice The post-colonialist voiceThe post-colonialist voice The ethnographic otherThe ethnographic other ‘‘Histories are being re-written from new Histories are being re-written from new

perspectives and the past is being re-perspectives and the past is being re-memoried to privilege different events. memoried to privilege different events. Formerly silent voices are being heard, and Formerly silent voices are being heard, and new cultural identities are being forged from new cultural identities are being forged from the remains of the past.’ (Carol, 2000: 227)the remains of the past.’ (Carol, 2000: 227)

The challenges of a post-The challenges of a post-modern worldmodern world

Issues of narrative and voice.Issues of narrative and voice. Issues of interpretation, understanding Issues of interpretation, understanding

and the construction of meaning.and the construction of meaning. Who is listening.Who is listening. Overt educational remit of museums is Overt educational remit of museums is

unattractiveunattractive Authoritative style is not conducive to Authoritative style is not conducive to

leisure time activitiesleisure time activities The stories told are told from an alien The stories told are told from an alien

perspectiveperspective