This master’s thesis focusses on fake objects within a museum context. Theoretical and practical methods are combined to create a complete overview of both proposed views on fake objects as well as...Show moreThis master’s thesis focusses on fake objects within a museum context. Theoretical and practical methods are combined to create a complete overview of both proposed views on fake objects as well as the practical ways fake objects are handled within museums in order to compare theory and practice. Theoretical research focusses on the way authenticity can be determined in archaeological objects, display methods of fake objects, and views on how fake objects should be handled. Practical research took place in the National Museum of Antiquities in the Netherlands, here curators and the director of the museum were interviewed about their stance on fake objects. Would a known inauthentic object be displayed in exhibitions? What prerequisites would a fake object have to meet to be displayed? What ways of determining authenticity take priority? Are fake objects handled in any way different from authentic objects? The museum database has been thoroughly searched for fake objects and whether or not they are mentioned to be fake at all, and in the case that they are, in which category of the database they are indicated to be fake. During research, it was discovered that the use of the database is mostly unstructured which means that the term fake might be in any category. As a result, it was possible to deduce where the employees of the museum thought it was best to mention the object was fake. Comparison between the database within the museum and the one open to the public from the website of the museum also provided insight into how much of this information is available to people outside of the museum. This thesis shows there are some fundamental differences between how authentic objects, and those objects that are seen as inauthentic are handled within the museum. First and foremost, within the database.Show less
This master thesis focuses on human remains collections from the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro and the Musée de l’Homme that became a part of the Musée du Quai Branly ethnographic collections...Show moreThis master thesis focuses on human remains collections from the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro and the Musée de l’Homme that became a part of the Musée du Quai Branly ethnographic collections in Paris. This thesis explores museum presentations and arrangement of human remains, referring to ways of displaying human remains in the Musée d’ethnographie du Trocadéro, the Musée de l’Homme and the Musée du Quai Branly. It examines the history of the museums and the history of human remains collections from South America and Oceania and their changing role in museum exhibitions, as well as the transition between two categories of objects: objects of culture and objects of nature. The main source for this analysis was the archival photographic collections of the Musée de l’Homme. This thesis argues that the categorisation of human remains as objects of culture or as objects of nature correlates with the ways they are displayed. The way in which human remains are categorised is related to the shifts in disciplinary practice and prevalent theories within the discipline of anthropology. I shall argue that these shifts are visible in the display of human remains in ethnographic museums. Moreover, I argue that these shifts in theory and practice correlate with the opposition of nature and culture and their visualisation through the museum display of human remains.Show less
World Fairs are a phenomenon since 1851. They are held in London, Paris, New York, Amsterdam and a lot of other cities all over the world. This study focuses of three subjects: - The Dutch visitors...Show moreWorld Fairs are a phenomenon since 1851. They are held in London, Paris, New York, Amsterdam and a lot of other cities all over the world. This study focuses of three subjects: - The Dutch visitors’ experiences of representation of the Surinamese colony at the Internationale, Koloniale en Uitvoerhandel Tentoonstelling of 1883 held in Amsterdam, - The representation of the Netherlands at the World Fairs of 1851 in London, 1878 in Paris and 1939-1940 in New York and - The current presence of 1851, 1878, 1883 and 1939-1940 World Fair collections in Dutch museums. The Internationale, Koloniale en Uitvoerhandel Tentoonstelling visitors’ experiences are obtained from papers and magazines from 1883. They provide an exclusive view of the Dutch visitors’ attitude towards the Surinamese people at this World Fair in Amsterdam. The Netherlands and its representation at the World Fairs of 1851, 1878 and 1939-1940 is observed and results show an increase in its active participation in these World Fairs. The World Fair collections are located, by consulting Dutch museum collection databases. They provide an impression of World Fair objects deriving from the fairs of 1851, 1878, 1883 and 1939-1940, present in Dutch museums.Show less
This thesis focuses on the topic that certain museums in Britain harbor collections of Trinidadian artifacts which exist in a significant quantity. These could further substantial research yet many...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the topic that certain museums in Britain harbor collections of Trinidadian artifacts which exist in a significant quantity. These could further substantial research yet many are hidden from the public eye or research access. I present a summary of these artifacts within an accessible database and show, to the most accurate degree possible, the significance of their acquisition in a colonial palimpsest. I argue that, in retrospect, although some acquisitions were as a result of negative colonial activities in the Caribbean, the majority were acquired through the efforts of certain individuals to preserve Trinidad’s archaeological heritage. Through this information and through further contextual research I attempt to create a discourse between the object information and contextual background and prove these artifacts need further attention and can have a noteworthy contribution to the cultural heritage of Trinidadians and indigenous communities today.Show less
This research will address the influence of postcolonialism within the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, an archaeological museums. Postcolonialism is a frequently discussed topic in...Show moreThis research will address the influence of postcolonialism within the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, an archaeological museums. Postcolonialism is a frequently discussed topic in museology, however, the discussed museums are mainly ethnological. In this thesis I have explored different aspects of the National Museum of Antiquities on the basis of year reports and other archival material, and interviews. The permanent presentation, the temporary exhibitions, the field research, the collecting policies and the public attitude of the museum all seem to have made certain postcolonial changes. The strongest change made lies in the museum’s attitude towards its public. The National Museum of Antiquities is connecting past societies to the people of the present by making its collection open to visitors from different ages, nationalities and backgrounds. In doing so, the museum globalizes towards the public.Show less
