Theme:
3. The Life of Archaeological Heritage in Society
Session format:
Regular session
Title:
Curating Archaeology ? How to Exhibit the Past
Content:
Public outreach is more important than ever, and a poignant way of doing so is by making archaeological exhibitions, in and outside of museums. Communicating archaeology via exhibitions go back to the infancy of archaeology as a discipline and have developed greatly since they were a mixture of curiosity cabinets – Wunderkammern – and an organisation of based on Thomsen’s periodisation. This session endeavours to delve into the process of curatorial practices and the making of exhibitions from the inside out, by inviting speakers who are themselves immersed in curatorial practices and can offer an insider’s perspective.
The session addresses issues aligned with the production of content, such as the selection of a theme, developing a concept, selection of objects, writing texts, and developing, implementing and producing design. Important questions to reflect upon are: Who commissions exhibitions? How and by whom are topics chosen? Should it be research-based – and could the process of making an exhibition be regarded as a research process in itself? Who makes them - and how? What kind of competence does curatorial work need? How can archaeologists take a greater part in this process, not just as informants, but as deeply involved in the curatorial process?
By addressing these questions our aim is to start a conversation about the plethora of curatorial practices that exist at archaeological museums – to learn from each other and explore best practice development. Museums are institutions that harbour great trust with the public, and as such museum exhibitions have a power of definition. As custodians of this trust, it is imperative that we openly reflect upon our own roles in society. And taking a greater part in the curational process of archaeological exhibitions is both a responsibility and an opportunity for showing society the many aspects of archaeology.
Keywords:
Curatorship, Exhibition, Museum, Outreach, Communication
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
Main organiser:
Kristin Armstrong Oma (Norway) 1
Co-organisers:
Per Nilsson (Sweden) 2
Linn Ramberg (Norway) 1
Affiliations:
1. University of Stavanger
2. The County Museum of Östergötland
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