The role of the museum in interpretation
The problem of context
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5885181 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Colin Thompson (0009-0004-0341-0811), Colin P Thompson (National Mining Museum Scotland, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1994 |
| Volume | 1 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 40-51 |
| Publication date | 1994-03-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Heritage Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1352-7258 • E-ISSN: 1470-3610 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13527259408722129 |
| OpenAlex | W2012271796 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
The key questions in interpreting objects in museums are: What are they doing there? and Where did they come from? National and local importance are not mutually exclusive: the critical difference is between intrinsic value, and value through context or association. Context is an integral part of interpretation. Experts can visualise an original location or environment; ordinary museum visitors need the context of people, or place, or familiar activities, to be able to relate to unfamiliar objects. Is seeing a good replica as good as seeing the original
Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Epistemology · Linguistics · Replica · Sociology · Archaeological Research and Protection · Computer Science · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · History · Museums and Cultural Heritage · Philosophy · Artificial Intelligence
| Citations per year | 0.38 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2018 - 2023 (6) |
| Highly cited | No |