10-06-2010, 06:55 PM
It never ceases to amaze me how slow musea are in catching on to the fact that modern people yearn for stories unfolding before them, instead of having to put their own imagination to use trying to figure out how all that dusty stuff in a showcase would have been used in actual, ancient life. There is so much to be won! The Archeon in the Netherlands made a gallant attempt, and living history parks all around Europe demonstrate the success. For the themepark Noviolocus, Museum het Valkhof in Nijmegen has expressed their wish to join in an educational joint venture to show the story both indoors and out. No cross finance, mind you, just a solid working partnership with each doing what their core business is, but providing a full package all the same. Re-enactment can significantly lower the threshold for museum attendance. So yes, I applaud this museum's effort to provide a better insight into Roman life and elevating their collection to a new level of understanding, without detracting from their main goal, exhibiting finds in the best possible way.
