TOI: Museums have to both inform and entertain: October 03, 2008

Q& A

Museums have to both inform and entertain

Victor Rabinovitch heads the Canadian Museum of Civilisation (CMC) in Quebec. It is the mostvisited museum in the country, exploring 20,000 years of human history. In India, to participate in a conference on cultural diversity and museums, he tells Narayani Ganesh that interpreting the past contextually is as important as preserving it:

Why is your museum so special?

We dont just exhibit objects. We try to develop an interpretation of the civilisation were studying, using narratives. Putting objects in context: How did civilisations change over time? We do it through multiple media presentations. It includes description of every object displayed and why it is important with photos, videos, recreation of settings etc. Were big on Time Lines, juxtaposing periods in different geographic centres and cultures with audio support.

How does the museum reflect multiculturalism?