Trading on the past : an examination of the cultural and economic roles of shops at museums and heritage sites
This study explores the growth of commercialisation at museums and heritage sites, focusing specifically on the development of onsite retailing. It examines the shop as an economic entity and considers its cultural role as part of the wider visitor experience. The content and direction of the thesis have been shaped by the paucity of academic work in this area. There is little understanding of the historical trajectory of museum and heritage trading; a barely developed theorisation of the shop in cultural terms; little contemplation of the financial sustainability of the enterprise; and a lack of evidence concerning visitor opinions of retailing. Thus, rather than pursue a detailed contemporary analysis built on intellectual quicksand, the principal objective of this study is to supply a basic apparatus for the furtherance of critical inquiry in this area. Consequently, the thesis is split into two sections. Section 1 provides an historical account of trading at museums and heritage sites with the purpose of furnishing a cultural context for retailing that situates the shop in a lineage of outreach, supporting the underlying objectives of the institution. Section 2 addresses the lack of theorisation of retailing,
Larkin, J.
Trading on the past : an examination of the cultural and economic roles of shops at museums and heritage sites. This study explores the growth of commercialisation at museums and heritage sites, focusing specifically on the development of onsite retailing. It examines the shop as an economic entity and considers its cultural role as part of the wider visitor experience. The content and direction of the thesis have been shaped by the paucity of academic work in this area. There is little understanding of the historical trajectory of museum and heritage trading; a barely developed theorisation of the shop in cultural terms; little contemplation of the financial sustainability of the enterprise; and a lack of evidence concerning visitor opinions of retailing. Thus, rather than pursue a detailed contemporary analysis built on intellectual quicksand, the principal objective of this study is to supply a basic apparatus for the furtherance of critical inquiry in this area. Consequently, the thesis is split into two sections. Section 1 provides an historical account of trading at museums and heritage sites with the purpose of furnishing a cultural context for retailing that situates the shop in a lineage of outreach, supporting the underlying objectives of the institution. Section 2 addresses the lack of theorisation of retailing,
trading past examination cultural_economic role shop museum heritage_site study_explore growth commercialisation museum heritage_site focus_specifically development retailing examines shop economic_entity considers cultural role part_wider visitor_experience content direction shape paucity academic work area little historical trajectory museum heritage trading barely develop theorisation shop cultural term little contemplation financial sustainability enterprise lack_evidence concern visitor opinion retailing thus rather pursue detail contemporary analysis build intellectual principal objective_study supply basic apparatus critical inquiry area consequently split_two section section provide historical_account trading museum heritage_site purpose furnish cultural_context retailing situate shop lineage outreach support underlie objective institution section address lack theorisation retailing