Transitions : the history and philosophy of County Archaeological Society museums in mid-nineteenth-century England
As a link between academia and the public, museums are institutions that produce and exhibit knowledge. The significance of this knowledge lies in that it forms what is regarded as collective knowledge. Museums have always created this significance through the three functions of preservation, research, and communication of objects. It is of particular interest in this dissertation to see the process in which museums began to emerge as agents in creating collective knowledge. Like museums, prehistoric archaeology as a distinct scientific field of investigation comes to the foreground in England during the mid-nineteenth century. The connection between both the growth of museums and prehistoric archaeology during this period provides an appropriate example of the production and sustenance of collective knowledge. Public museums, as opposed to private collections, already existed since the seventeenth century (e.g., Ashmolean Museum). Learned society museums were established in the late eighteenth century, but the new phenomenon of what was called the county archaeological society museum happened during the mid-nineteenth century. The transition towards congealing into a county archaeological society museum is
Chung, Y. S. S.
Transitions : the history and philosophy of County Archaeological Society museums in mid-nineteenth-century England. As a link between academia and the public, museums are institutions that produce and exhibit knowledge. The significance of this knowledge lies in that it forms what is regarded as collective knowledge. Museums have always created this significance through the three functions of preservation, research, and communication of objects. It is of particular interest in this dissertation to see the process in which museums began to emerge as agents in creating collective knowledge. Like museums, prehistoric archaeology as a distinct scientific field of investigation comes to the foreground in England during the mid-nineteenth century. The connection between both the growth of museums and prehistoric archaeology during this period provides an appropriate example of the production and sustenance of collective knowledge. Public museums, as opposed to private collections, already existed since the seventeenth century (e.g., Ashmolean Museum). Learned society museums were established in the late eighteenth century, but the new phenomenon of what was called the county archaeological society museum happened during the mid-nineteenth century. The transition towards congealing into a county archaeological society museum is
history_philosophy county archaeological society museums mid_nineteenth century england link academia public museums institution produce exhibit knowledge significance knowledge lie form regard collective knowledge museums always create significance function preservation communication object particular_interest see process museum begin_emerge agent create collective knowledge like museum prehistoric_archaeology distinct scientific field investigation come foreground england connection growth museums prehistoric_archaeology period provide_appropriate example production sustenance collective knowledge public museum opposed private_collection already_exist since museum learned society museum establish_new phenomenon call county archaeological society museum happen transition towards county archaeological society museum