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Example research essay topic: British Museum London Routledge - 1,283 words

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... ). Educating the public about various community groups also helps to promote cultural tolerance and understanding as it is in human nature to accept the familiar and shun the non. The African World exhibit at The Horniman Museum and Gardens aims to provide glimpses into the richness and complexity of Black cultures, both in Africa and elsewhere in the world. In addition, The British Museum displays artefacts from all over the world to illuminate the histories of various cultures for the benefit of present and future generations.

Other than providing a sense of national, community and religious identity, museums also provide visitors with an identity of oneself. When one visits a museum of specific interest, such as art (e. g. National Portrait Gallery), cooking (e. g. The Museum of Culinary History and Alimentation) or sports (e.

g. MC Cricket Museum), one would naturally meet people with similar interest and thus experience a sense of shared identity, embodied within the museum buildings. On a more materialistic note, museums contribute significantly to the countrys revenue, as it is a source of tourist attraction. Despite the fact that most museums, like The British Museum, is funded by the government and Lottery and thus entry is free, these museums bring in visitors from all over the world on a yearly basis who generate flourishing profits for the hotel, food and retail industry.

On top of that, there are museums that are not fully funded by the government and charge an average of 9. 00 for a single adult ticket for entrance. The Madame Tussauds Museum, The London Dungeon and Rock Circus are three such museums, to name a few, and they are among the most well-known places of interest in London, yielding millions of tourist visits per annum. These museums are generally aimed more towards entertaining than educating. One do not usually gain anything, other than a fun-filled afternoon, while rubbing shoulders with the wax celebrities at The Madame Tussauds Museum or being scared silly by the gruesome sights in The London Dungeon.

Therefore, it is not surprising that such museums of tourist interest are accused of trivializing the past, playing with history, focusing on unworthy objects. Critics of heritage claim that the museums predilection for dressing up is thought of as childish, while its association with the holiday trades is almost by definition demeaning (Raphael, Samuel, 1994). Perhaps that is true, if one chooses to stick to the strictest definition of the function of museums, but from a personal point of view, it is no big crime for museums to give a fun twist to the concept of heritage. As the wise saying go, all work no play makes Jack a dull boy.

After all that I have said in favour of the importance of museums, controversy still remains. Like Mike Wallace (1996) said, museums constitute a site of struggle, a struggle between what gets remembered and what gets forgotten. Exactly who gets to make that decision? The state, ordinary people and corporate interests contributes money to the museums in the form of taxation but ultimately, national memory goes to those in power. Behind the critique of heritage lies residues of that conspiracy theory according to which historical change engineered by ruling elites, and popular taste is at mercy of what 1960 s and 1970 s radicals took to calling the manipulations of the media (Raphael, Samuel, 1994).

History well told is beautiful. When displaying history, one must respect the importance of dramatic and skilful re-telling, as well as accuracy. However, those in power of deciding the contents of a museum are faced with the temptation of selective amnesia. That is, conveniently leaving out the down periods of history and emphasising on glorious moments to give an idealized version of the past. Take for instance the Holocaust exhibit, James Young argues that when reading museum exhibitions of the Holocaust, we must not mistake artefacts from the past, the remains of historical events, for the events themselves (Richard, Crownshaw, 1999). Kushner (1997) lays blame on the museum for presenting the Holocaust, and in particular Belsen concentration camps, from the point of view of the British liberators rather than the Jewish majority of victims and survivors.

Other than inaccuracy in the reflecting of reality, critics also expressed concerned in the paradox between preserving artefacts and catalyzing the decay of culture. As Adorno (1995) argued, wrenched from their original surroundings, cut off from the living culture of which once they were an organic part, artefacts, when placed in the museum, are in the process of dying. In conclusion, I would like to reinforce my stand in that museums are still of high importance in society. There is no reason to think that people are more passive when looking at old photographs or film footage, handling a museum exhibit, following a local history trail, or even buying a historical souvenir, than when reading a book (Raphael, Samuel, 1994).

People, even children with parental guidance, are generally able to make appropriate decisions and analysis about museum exhibits instead of just blinding believing in what is laid in front of them. On the whole, museums are able to provide a real grasp of how the world works. Whether one is studying history, appreciating the present or anticipating the future through museum exhibits, it encourages habits of mind that are vital for responsible public behaviour, be it a national or community leader, an informed voter, or a simple observer in life. References Adorno, T. W. (1995). Valery Proust Museum: Prisms.

Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. Alexander, E. (1979). Museums in Motion: An Introduction to the History and Functions of Museums. Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood: web > Cambridge International Dictionary of English: web > Edson, G. (ed. ) (1997). Museum Ethics.

London: Routledge. Freud Museum:
web > Hein, G. E. (1998). Learning in the Museum. London: Routledge.

Hooper-Greenhill, E. (1994). Museums and their Visitors. London: Routledge. Hudson, K. (1987). Museums of Influence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Imperial War Museum:
web > Jewish Museum: web > Kushner, T. (1994). The Holocaust and the Liberal Imagination: A social and Cultural History. Oxford: Blackwell. London's Transport Museum: web > Madame Tussauds Museum web > Museum Net UK Museums Knowledge Base: web > Museum of London: web > National Portrait Gallery: web > Raphael, Samuel. (1994). Theatres of Memory: Heritage-baiting. London: Verso.

Richard, Crownshaw. (1999). The Media in Britain. Ethnic Identity and Cultural Heritage: Belsen in the Museum. Edited by Jane Stokes and Anna Reading.

Macmillan Press. The Bank of England Museum:
web > The British Columbia Museums Association: web > The British Museum: web > The Horniman Museum and Gardens: web > The London Dungeon: web > The Museum of Culinary History and Alimentation: web > The National History Museum: web > The National Museum of the Performing Arts: web > The National Science Museum: web > The Science Museum: web > Wilson, D. M. (1989). The British Museum: Purpose and Politics. London: British Museum Press.


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Research essay sample on British Museum London Routledge

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