Writing the History of Humanity: The Role of Museums in Defining Origins and Ancestors in a Transnational World

Abstract

This article explores the question of how transnational audiences experience anthropology exhibitions in particular, and the natural history museum overall. Of interest are the ways in which natural history museums reconcile anthropological notions of humanity's shared evolutionary history—in particular, African origins accounts—with visitors' complex cultural identities. Through case studies of British, American, and Kenyan museum audiences, this research probed the cultural preconceptions that museum visitors bring to the museum and use to interpret their evolutionary heritage. The research took special notice of audiences of African descent, and their experiences in origins exhibitions and the natural history museums that house them. The article aims to draw connections between natural history museums and the dynamic ways in which museum visitors make meaning. As museums play an increasing role in the transnational homogenization of cultures, human origins exhibitions are increasingly challenged to communicate an evolutionary prehistory that we collectively share, while validating the cultural histories that make us unique.

The historical context of science and education at the American Museum of Natural History

“…The Museum responds with science that supports the non-existence of race. Interestingly models (that are artistic interpretations) that depict the evolution of humans get progressively lighter in complexion and appear more Europeanized as humans become more ''evolved;'' more closer to modern humans, as is common in representations of human evolution (Scott, 2005). ''In effect,'' Pringle wrote, ''the Museum functions to maintain the dominant ideology,'' that of race and the socio-historical implications that the phenotype of race presents.…”

Learning and engagement through natural history museums

“…If, like the American Museum of Natural History (Diamond & Scotchmoor, 2006 ), museums that take this approach have an abundance of fossils illustrating the entire fossil record, then this approach has the virtue of avoiding the presentation of a single fossilised representative of a particular species, which is as likely to mislead as inform. Museums that have access to fossil hominin specimens (and even those that do not) can mount informative exhibits on human evolution (Scott, 2005 ). Despite the attraction of such exhibits, the late appearance of modern humans in the fossil record can give the impression that evolution is directional and progressive with Homo sapiens as the endpoint, especially to visitors with preconceived beliefs.…”

Empatía, empatía histórica y empatía prehistórica: una aproximación conceptual desde la enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales

“…Trabajar la Prehistoria en el aula desde esta perspectiva permitiría rescatar una imagen más humana del hombre y de la mujer prehistóricos, ayudando a superar concepciones estereotipadas asociadas con la rudeza, la violencia o la insensibilidad. De acuerdo con Benjamin (2007), se haría preciso "cepillar la Prehistoria a contrapelo" a fin de no reproducir las visiones antropocentristas en la explicación de la evolución humana, presentes aún hoy en la sociedad (Querol, 2001;Scott, 2005). Este enfoque dota de valor educativo a la Prehistoria por cuanto contribuye a desarrollar actitudes de tolerancia, convivencia y solidaridad (Boj, 2001), así como de rechazo y denuncia del racismo y la xenofobia (Ruiz, 2010).…”