Making use of the knowledge gained in our last week's discussions, the readings I have supplied and your own critical thinking, direct your Response paper #2 about the positive and negative contributions of collections and museums.
Provide four specific examples we've discussed, and or readings provided in your paper.
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Charles Willson Peale, the Artist in His Museum
Ever since I was a little child, our family has enjoyed visiting many different museums during our vacations. From interactive science based museums like the MOST located in Syracuse New York to the Salem Witch Museum in Massachusetts, these intuitions have taught me to value knowledge and world history. This past summer I was fortunate enough to visit over four different museums and historical preservation sites across Italy. That experience definitely taught me how to take meaning away from artifacts and pieces of art with no English translation or clue as to what they are. Overall museums, in my own experience, have been a playground for reflection and knowledge. That said, many museums are not the most ethical when it comes to how they obtain and display their artifacts and collections. Even how a museum’s content and information is displayed can sway viewers to conclude a less than accurate message surrounding the exhibit.
An example of this can be seen in Glenn Fleishman’s article, “ A Racist Message Buried for Thousands of Years in the Future.” In which Fleishman discusses the crypt of civilization which is one of the largest time capsules from the 1930’s housed in the basement of Oglethrope University. The artifacts in the crypt show an narrative of a predominantly white society. Besides one highly racist black doll character, a future viewer upon discovering this crypt would be led to think that there must have been no people of color in Oglethrope during the 1930’s. Historic and artifact based collections often focus on what the owner wants to preserve for the future. This often leads to future observers only getting part of the story that history has to tell.
Along with the lack of representation comes desensitizing. In Jennie Rothenberg Gritz’ article, “ New Racism Museum Reveals the Ugly Truth Behind Aunt Jemima,” she discusses the collection of racist paraphernalia of David Pilgrim. As someone who use to destroy these horribly racist objects, he now collects and showcases these items for the public. In which he
challenges the viewers to ask how far have we really come from Jim Crow laws? To quote David Pilgrim, “ Jim Crow, in many ways, is not over. The laws are gone, but the repercussions are still around. Looking at these images begs the question: How far are we from this now?” We often as museum visitors, without realizing it, try as hard as we can to separate ourselves from the past. We often go in with attitudes that the today is so much wiser and less harsh then the past, but when you are surrounded by collectable items which showcase products still sold today like Aunt Jemima it brings it full circle.
Though these exhibits can be hard to take in, they serve as a inspirational reminder that we have a responsibility to truly make racist representation a true thing of the past. After these two articles I began to question my previous museum experience, and what narrative I took from each experience, and if it really was the true story the past has to tell. After processing all that information I began to read “ Why did Museums Develop?” an article posted by Dailyhistory.com. The article highlights how museums began as a way to not only collect but to preserve artifacts and wonderful works of art from around the world. From the time of ancient Egypt to the present, people have always been interested in preserving objects with significant meaning. This interest to collect and preserve has allowed generations of humans to learn from each other and expand overall knowledge and understanding of our world. Without museums which store and protect these collections, we would have even less understanding of the ancient world.
Museums are truly a place to learn about the world around us, and to remind us all where we have come from as a society. Holland Cotter’s article, “ Why University Museums Matter,” highlights the importance of university collections. She discusses different collections universities own such as Yale’s exhibit on the importance on tea in the Japanese culture, which was all donated through caring alum. These collections allow students and visitors to learn about the university as well as the world around them. For many who cant afford to travel the world and see things first hand, these shows and exhibits allows for the public to gain knowledge and a greater appreciation for other cultures and practices. After reading this article, it made me more curious what sort of collection Cazenovia College had and what other collections are housed around Madison county. Though I now am more aware of the areas in which museums could improve, I also still have a great appreciation for the preservation and knowledge they provided to important historical items and events. I cannot wait to further research many more museums in my field of study as an art management major.
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As a mother of four girls that love art, taking them to museums and seeing the work of artists is meaningful to us. Another big thing we love is seeing the different collections in museums. Enriching them in different cultures and history is something I take a priority in. To think that museums were used as a means of entertainment and for a way the rich can tell each other “I have something bigger than yours in my collection”, is sad.
Provide four specific examples we've discussed, and or readings provided in your paper.
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Charles Willson Peale, the Artist in His Museum
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Why did Museums Begin?
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The New York Times: Why Museums Matter 02.19.2009
Why did Museums Begin?
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The New York Times: Why Museums Matter 02.19.2009
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Student Responses to: Essay MUSEUM PROS AND CONS
Project #1.2 A Critical Response to the Positives and Negatives of Museums
As repositories of collected culture and as places of education, museums must be subject to close scrutiny when it comes to the context and contents of their collections. To narrow down this analysis, only two positives and two negatives of museums will be considered. Holland Cotter’s “Why University Museums Matter” presents a positive outlook on the contributions of collections as instruments for education and experimentation for students; Joe Kissell’s “The Crypt of Civilization: Museum in a Time Capsule” also presents a positive perspective on education but instead for future generations; and using Glenn Fleishman’s “A Racist Message Buried for Thousands of Years in the Future,” we uncover two negatives of museum work -- namely the potential for biased content inside collections and malicious intentions of curators.
Holland Cotter used the threatened closing of the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis to inspire his impassioned defense of university shows and collections. Cotter stated that the items in university collections are “teaching instruments…[that] fill out a deep and detailed...cultural history”, that introduce students to new realities (Cotter). Unlike larger museums like the Met, smaller universities can offer a sense of experimental intimacy to the visitor (Cotter). Not only does the opportunity to work with university collections educate students, but these collections also inspire them -- and the world of museum studies at large -- to create fresh, positive conventions for arranging and curating visual components (Cotter).
At Oglethorpe University, Atlana, GA in 1940, president Thornwell Jacobs welded shut an underground chamber known as the Crypt of Civilization. Joe Kissell’s article examined the Crypt in broad strokes to discuss the concept of time capsules as collections for the future. Within the Crypt there are books, recordings, and toys -- all other crucial aspects of culture -- and the author’s favorite was the phonograph designed to teach the future generations that
uncover the Crypt English as a precaution to prevent the loss of knowledge and preserve Jacobs’ world (Kissell). Education is one of the central aims of the museum and the Crypt certainly exemplifies this positive trait. This active concept for the preservation of history is certainly one that could be emulated by more museums and collections, to facilitate inclusive learning for all patrons, present and future.
However, Kissell did not examine the contents of the Crypt critically or consider the motivations of Thornwell Jacobs as a curator. If future generations had read “The Crypt…” without doing any further research, the Crypt would be vastly misrepresented. Glenn Fleishman’s “A Racist Message…” tackles what Kissell neglected, which is the abominably racist past of Jacobs and the contents of the Crypt itself. Jacobs made no secret of his racial attitudes in all of his prolific writings, from fiction to history, and in a transcript of a speech he placed in the Crypt, he flatly stated his broad intolerance for all minorities and his anti-semitism (Fleishman).
In addition, when Jacobs spearheaded efforts to relaunch Oglethorpe University in 1916, he only admitted white men and as Fleishman notes (and as I verified for myself) the University website is completely devoid of this damning information (“History”). On top of this, the Crypt contains few traces of any culture that was not white -- for example, no mentions of Africa or African-Americans save a single “Negro Doll” (Fleishman). In essence, the Crypt was very carefully curated to present an untruthful and biased view of America. In conclusion, the realm of museum work is clearly fraught with both positives and negatives but as members of the public and as students, we can only strive to keep doing better as we educate ourselves and our communities.
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Ever since I was a little child, our family has enjoyed visiting many different museums during our vacations. From interactive science based museums like the MOST located in Syracuse New York to the Salem Witch Museum in Massachusetts, these intuitions have taught me to value knowledge and world history. This past summer I was fortunate enough to visit over four different museums and historical preservation sites across Italy. That experience definitely taught me how to take meaning away from artifacts and pieces of art with no English translation or clue as to what they are. Overall museums, in my own experience, have been a playground for reflection and knowledge. That said, many museums are not the most ethical when it comes to how they obtain and display their artifacts and collections. Even how a museum’s content and information is displayed can sway viewers to conclude a less than accurate message surrounding the exhibit.
An example of this can be seen in Glenn Fleishman’s article, “ A Racist Message Buried for Thousands of Years in the Future.” In which Fleishman discusses the crypt of civilization which is one of the largest time capsules from the 1930’s housed in the basement of Oglethrope University. The artifacts in the crypt show an narrative of a predominantly white society. Besides one highly racist black doll character, a future viewer upon discovering this crypt would be led to think that there must have been no people of color in Oglethrope during the 1930’s. Historic and artifact based collections often focus on what the owner wants to preserve for the future. This often leads to future observers only getting part of the story that history has to tell.
Along with the lack of representation comes desensitizing. In Jennie Rothenberg Gritz’ article, “ New Racism Museum Reveals the Ugly Truth Behind Aunt Jemima,” she discusses the collection of racist paraphernalia of David Pilgrim. As someone who use to destroy these horribly racist objects, he now collects and showcases these items for the public. In which he
challenges the viewers to ask how far have we really come from Jim Crow laws? To quote David Pilgrim, “ Jim Crow, in many ways, is not over. The laws are gone, but the repercussions are still around. Looking at these images begs the question: How far are we from this now?” We often as museum visitors, without realizing it, try as hard as we can to separate ourselves from the past. We often go in with attitudes that the today is so much wiser and less harsh then the past, but when you are surrounded by collectable items which showcase products still sold today like Aunt Jemima it brings it full circle.
Though these exhibits can be hard to take in, they serve as a inspirational reminder that we have a responsibility to truly make racist representation a true thing of the past. After these two articles I began to question my previous museum experience, and what narrative I took from each experience, and if it really was the true story the past has to tell. After processing all that information I began to read “ Why did Museums Develop?” an article posted by Dailyhistory.com. The article highlights how museums began as a way to not only collect but to preserve artifacts and wonderful works of art from around the world. From the time of ancient Egypt to the present, people have always been interested in preserving objects with significant meaning. This interest to collect and preserve has allowed generations of humans to learn from each other and expand overall knowledge and understanding of our world. Without museums which store and protect these collections, we would have even less understanding of the ancient world.
Museums are truly a place to learn about the world around us, and to remind us all where we have come from as a society. Holland Cotter’s article, “ Why University Museums Matter,” highlights the importance of university collections. She discusses different collections universities own such as Yale’s exhibit on the importance on tea in the Japanese culture, which was all donated through caring alum. These collections allow students and visitors to learn about the university as well as the world around them. For many who cant afford to travel the world and see things first hand, these shows and exhibits allows for the public to gain knowledge and a greater appreciation for other cultures and practices. After reading this article, it made me more curious what sort of collection Cazenovia College had and what other collections are housed around Madison county. Though I now am more aware of the areas in which museums could improve, I also still have a great appreciation for the preservation and knowledge they provided to important historical items and events. I cannot wait to further research many more museums in my field of study as an art management major.
-------------------------------------------------------------
As a mother of four girls that love art, taking them to museums and seeing the work of artists is meaningful to us. Another big thing we love is seeing the different collections in museums. Enriching them in different cultures and history is something I take a priority in. To think that museums were used as a means of entertainment and for a way the rich can tell each other “I have something bigger than yours in my collection”, is sad.
According to the Association of Art Museum Directors’ past president Brian Ferriso (2016), “I immediately recalled the days following 9/11, when art museums became a place of solace and reflection…art museums reasserted their ability to provide hope and wonder, celebrating humankind’s greatest artistic treasures and challenging us to see the world in a vision unobstructed by rhetoric.” Ferriso really appreciated his position as the president of the AAMD and knew how important it was to appreciate art. He was also a chief curator at the Portland Art Museum, so he understood the idea behind collections. When referencing the events of 9/11, it also reminded me of the Holocaust Museum. Although these two events were a devastation of their time, they now hold a place in human hearts and minds that will never be forgotten.
A more positive look on the collections a museum may have is The Museum of Play in Rochester, NY. This is one of our favorites as a family and walking in as an adult, all my childhood nostalgia just explodes. Watching the way my children look at some of the old toys and of course their favorite, Barbie, and her evolution, as a parent, it is one of the best and heartwarming feelings. I have the opportunity to share history and experiences with my children about toys I played with as a child. In its name, “Museum of Play”, really lives up to the name, because there are tons of interactive exhibits for children to play with.
An example of a negative side to museums comes with the questions why and how people collect? Any time you walk into a museum, one of your first thoughts is “how much did this cost”? On our family trip to Sandwich, Massachusetts, we went to Boston. In the city we went to the Boston Museum of Science. Admission for an adult is $28 and for children 3-11 years old, $23. So you figure, just getting into this place was well over $100. Before you go to the museum, you need to find a place to park! The closest and cheapest spot we found was $40 for the day. The exhibit that totally disgust me and blew me away at the same time was the Colby Trophy Room. As the name suggests “trophy”, really means a bunch of dead wild animals. It was literally the scene from “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” where Ace walks into the consultants’ room full of elephant heads, lion heads, zebras, and all sorts of taxidermy animals from the wild.
On the other hand, although museums today are still meant to enrich history, culture, and entertain the public in general. There are still the smaller places like the Seward House in my hometown of Auburn, NY and the Harriet Tubman House, that make living in my town worthwhile. History, although sometimes so ugly and dark, can be a great characteristic about a museum. They keep us thinking and make us want more, they make us stay curious about what is next and what we can expect of this world. We think of ancient Egypt and how much we have gained through archeological finds and digs. The importance of decorating tombs for the dead, even though they were dead and never going to see it again. We now have the opportunity to look at history as it stands before us in museums today.
References:
Ferriso, Brian (June 2, 2016) Why Museums Matter. Retrieved from: https://www.aamd.org/our-members/from-the-field/why-museums-matter
DailyHistory.org (April 22, 2018), Why Did Museums Develop?. Retrieved from: https://dailyhistory.org/Why_did_museums_develop%3F
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Response 1.2
The use of the term “museum” has changed since they have first developed. Museums have gone from private displays that show social status to collections that are meant to educate viewers (Cotter). There are thousands of different museum collections today around the world; They are categorized from natural, historical, or cultural collections. Museums play a huge part in present and future society, so the past isn’t hidden.
As a millennial, there are so many events that I wasn’t around for that I will never be able to fully understand. In the article, New Racism Museum Reveals the Ugly Truth Behind Aunt Jemima, I had so many emotions going through my head. While I have witnessed racism, I am mortified of slavery and the racism that directly followed. It is so upsetting to see that humans are treated differently because of their skin color, religion, sexuality. While the information in the article was very disturbing, I am so glad I read it. The article consisted on an interview with David Pilgrim, founder of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. The article made me very uncomfortable reading it, and that feeling is the same one that the museum tries to give off. The racist products and propaganda makes me uncomfortable and realize how messed up times use to be. While racism is still around today, I can’t believe how normalized it use to be. I hope that current viewers also realize how hurtful racism can be. While I am white, this museum can still help give me an understanding of the pain that people were experiencing. To me, this is a huge positive side of museums; They are able to promote continuous change when making viewers uncomfortable.
While I agreed with David Pilgrim and his reasons for the Jim Crow Museum, there is another racism collection by Thornwell Jacobs. Jacobs had a crypt of racist toys and items that wasn’t supposed to be opened until 8113CE. In the article on this crypt, Jacobs was a racist, and had the collection so slavery and segregation would be remembered in the future. While my negative thought on this museum is opinion based, I don’t believe there should be collections that promote racism. It is a very negative side to museums, collections, and crypts.
Museums are also great because they are made to preserve collections. There are many artifacts that may not stay around or in a good shape if they were in their original context for 200 years. Museums have staff that are there just to preserve artifacts, giving these pieces a much longer existence.
However, to go against that, museums take culture away from the area the artifacts come from. The National Museum of the American Indian, is an example of this. Museums took their culture out of the lands they have lived on and from their families to be put on display. While the pieces in the collection may be taken care of better while on display, it is not fair that culture was taken away.