Mummies on Display: Will They Remain a Person or Do They Become an Object in the Drents Museum’s Exhibition Mummies – Life Beyond Death?

This thesis contributes to the debate on how to display human remains by discussing the way the mummies were presented in the exhibition texts and showcases of the Drents Museum’s exhibition Mummies – Life beyond death, which influenced the perception of them as either people or objects. The effect of this display and the reception of the exhibition by the public and the press was analysed by interviewing the museum personnel and reviewing the comment-book, questions asked by visitors to the mummy-expert and press articles. Also a questionnaire about the reburial and display of human remains was carried out. The results indicate that the level of respect of visitors can be nourished by presenting the mummy as a person. The exhibition showed that there are several ways to do this. However, a boundary seems to exist for displaying mummies as people, as visitors encountered problems with displaying recent mummies as people. The exhibition was received well by the public and the press...Show moreThis thesis contributes to the debate on how to display human remains by discussing the way the mummies were presented in the exhibition texts and showcases of the Drents Museum’s exhibition Mummies – Life beyond death, which influenced the perception of them as either people or objects. The effect of this display and the reception of the exhibition by the public and the press was analysed by interviewing the museum personnel and reviewing the comment-book, questions asked by visitors to the mummy-expert and press articles. Also a questionnaire about the reburial and display of human remains was carried out. The results indicate that the level of respect of visitors can be nourished by presenting the mummy as a person. The exhibition showed that there are several ways to do this. However, a boundary seems to exist for displaying mummies as people, as visitors encountered problems with displaying recent mummies as people. The exhibition was received well by the public and the press and together with the results of the questionnaire it is attested that many people find exhibitions about human remains interesting and appropriate. Mostly because they want to be confronted with death and their own mortality.Show less

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Mummies on Display: Will They Remain a Person or Do They Become an Object in the Drents Museum’s Exhibition Mummies – Life Beyond Death?