The desire to eulogise, as often appears to be the case in this exhibition, does not allow space for questions that might allow for a fuller explication of the nature of Mandela’s legacy and its relevance beyond South Africa.
With a lot not on display, museums may not even know all that’s in their vast holdings.
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
A tiny percentage of museums’ natural history holdings are on display. Very little of these vast archives is digitized and available online. But museums are working to change that.
Eugène Delacroix’s ‘Self-Portrait in a Green Vest’ (1837).
Wikimedia Commons
Through his art and his travels, 19th-century French Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix sought to understand the chaos of an era he called ‘the century of unbelievable things.’
Brazil’s gutted National Museum now resembles an archaeological ruin itself.
AP Photo/Mario Lobao
It’s a comforting falsehood that once an artifact joins a museum’s collection, it’s safe for eternity. Museums face many foes in the fight to preserve – a lack of funds might be the biggest.
Benito Mussolini’s bust and crypt in San Cassiano cemetery are a sensitive topic in Predappio, Italy.
Saiko/Wikimedia
Trump has indicated he wants to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts in his budget to save money. The impact on many US museums could be devastating.