The Artistry of Museum History
A national museum or national historic museum is basically a history museum devoted to presenting exhibits and artifacts reflecting the culture, generally its own country, historically. These museums present a wide variety of objects that one can view, including artworks, historical records and the like. In most cases, these museums are designed for the public and their aim is to make the general public familiar with the country’s history and culture through displays and other forms of media. Usually these types of museums are open to the public and they serve as a repository of the country’s rich history and culture.
There are many different museums throughout the world that serve as repositories of information, culture and the arts. There are public and private museums that cater to people seeking to learn more about their country’s past and some examples of these museums are: The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The British Museum in London, The Natural History Museum in London, The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D. C., The National Gallery in Washington D. C., The Saachi International Museum in Shimane, The National Air and Space Museum in NASA Spire, The Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, The British Museum in London, The National Postal Museum in London, The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Jewish Museum in New York City and so many others. Aside from these, there are also international museum collections such as The Jewish Museum in Jerusalem, The Florence Museum, The Saatchi Gallery in Tokyo and The National Art Museum in Tel Aviv.
Museums have been used by many different cultures around the world since time immemorial. It is believed that the Egyptians built the first gallery in 400BC. They used it to display weapons and other equipment. As years passed by, galleries were constructed in Europe, Asia and Africa and there were even museums established in the US. However, it was not until the First World War that all the world came together to take part in the building of the world’s first modern museum – The Smithsonian.
People go to the museum for a number of reasons. Sometimes, the museum serves as a repository for important historical artifacts. In fact, there are some exhibits and artifacts which are literally in their own countries. Such as, The artifacts from The wreck of the USS Enterprise at Pearl Harbor are kept there. When you go to a museum history section, one can find out about the stories behind some of the most important inventions and historical eras.
Another reason why people go to the museum is because they want to view the exhibits and take in the sight and sound of the exhibits. Seeing the artifacts in person is much more exciting than viewing them on a digital display. For example, one can see The Wright Brothers’ original plans for The Wright Flyer by touching and feeling the metal plates. They can also learn how John Wright designed the first flight simulator and experience the actual controls of the aircraft. Some exhibits can be viewed by simply walking up or down the aisles, while others need to be taken into the museum.
One can also use the internet, a library, or other resources to learn about some of the more interesting periods in museum history. There are many museums, which have put together fascinating exhibits and stories about certain years. It may be impossible to know everything about the early years of an invention, but one can definitely discover a lot about some of the key inventions. This is what makes visiting a museum so educational. Learning about the past, can make one appreciate the present day better.