During the past decades, the debate on the representation of history in historical museums has constantly been questioning the identity and the role of those institutions. Deconstructing great narratives; opposing national histories to personal memories; conceiving museums both as sites of education and consumption: these are some of the crucial topics which public history can give its contribution about, in order to find a compromise between the scientific value and the social, political and commercial issues. I will discuss this matter assuming as study case the former Archive and Museum of War established in Milan by Antonio Monti during the fascist era. The historiographic approach assumed in my study is the “archival turn” that focuses on the relationships among sources, and on the variation of those relationships during the actions proper to museums: collection, organization and display. By observing how the meaning of the sources changes in consequence to different sets of relationships, the “archival turn” approach may support the public history’s reflection on historical museums, according to the multifocal representation of history required by contemporary societies, but without renouncing to the key role of historians in history telling.

“Public history” and “Archival Turn”: Questions and Perspectives on Historical Museum / G. Taccola. ((Intervento presentato al 10. convegno Museum Professionals in Dialogue tenutosi a Milano nel 2016.

“Public history” and “Archival Turn”: Questions and Perspectives on Historical Museum

G. Taccola
2016

Abstract

During the past decades, the debate on the representation of history in historical museums has constantly been questioning the identity and the role of those institutions. Deconstructing great narratives; opposing national histories to personal memories; conceiving museums both as sites of education and consumption: these are some of the crucial topics which public history can give its contribution about, in order to find a compromise between the scientific value and the social, political and commercial issues. I will discuss this matter assuming as study case the former Archive and Museum of War established in Milan by Antonio Monti during the fascist era. The historiographic approach assumed in my study is the “archival turn” that focuses on the relationships among sources, and on the variation of those relationships during the actions proper to museums: collection, organization and display. By observing how the meaning of the sources changes in consequence to different sets of relationships, the “archival turn” approach may support the public history’s reflection on historical museums, according to the multifocal representation of history required by contemporary societies, but without renouncing to the key role of historians in history telling.
5-lug-2016
Settore M-STO/05 - Storia della Scienza e delle Tecniche
IAMH - Museums of History International Association of Museums of History
ICOM - International Council of Museums
Civiche Raccolte Storiche - Museo del Risorgimento di Milano
“Public history” and “Archival Turn”: Questions and Perspectives on Historical Museum / G. Taccola. ((Intervento presentato al 10. convegno Museum Professionals in Dialogue tenutosi a Milano nel 2016.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/520384
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