The Development of Museums
The third article is about the development of museums. The article consists of six paragraphs, which respectively introduce the changing functions of museums, people's attitudes to museum changes, the development of natural history presentation, the commercial pressure faced by museums to be responsible, the necessity of museums to interpret exhibits, and the deviation caused by the integrity of exhibits to people's understanding. The following is the translation of each paragraph.
Click to view this IELTS reading What you need to master in Key words And corresponding Answer analysis ：
The development of Cambridge IELTS 9 test 4 passage 3 Museum
Cambridge IELTS 9Test4 Reading Passage3 Answers Analysis of The Development of Museums
Cambridge IELTS 9 Test 4 Passage3 Read the original translation
Paragraph A
The conviction that historical relics provide infallible testimony about the past is rooted in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when science was regarded as objective and value free. As one writer observes: ‘Although it is now evident that artefacts are as easily altered as chronicles, public faith in their veracity endures: a tangi ble relic seems ipso facto real.’ Such conviction was, until recently, reflected in museum displays. Museums used to look – and some still do – much like storage rooms of objects packed together in showcases: good for scholars who wanted to study the subtle differences in design, but not for the ordinary visitor, to whom it all looked alike. Similarly, the information accompanying the objects often made little sense to the lay visitor. The content and format of explanations dated back to a time when the museum was the exclusive domain of the scientific researcher.
Historic sites provide reliable evidence of the past, a belief that dates back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, science was regarded as objective and value neutral. As one writer observed: "Now, the following facts are very obvious: artifacts are as easy to change as chronicles, but the public's belief in their authenticity still exists: tangible cultural relics seem to be real". Until recently, such belief could be reflected in the museum's display. The museum in the past - some are still there - looks like a storage room where objects are stored in display cabinets: very useful for scholars who want to study the nuances of design, but not for ordinary tourists. In their eyes, everything looks alike. Similarly, the information attached to the items is of little significance to tourists. The content and form of this interpretation can be traced back to the period when museums were the exclusive domain of scientific researchers.
Paragraph B
Recently, however, attitudes towards history and the way it should be presented have altered. The key word in heritage display is now ‘experience’, the more exciting the better and if possible, involving all the senses. Good examples of this approach in the UK are the Jorvik Center in York; the National Museum of Photography, Film and Televisi on in Bradford; and the Imperial War Museum in London. In the US the trend emerged much earlier: Williamsburg has been a prototype for many heritage developments in other parts of the world. No one can predict where the process will end. On so-called heritage sites the re-enactment of historical events is increasingly popular, and computers will s oon provide virtual reality experiences, which will present visitors with a vivid image of the period of their choice, in which they themselves can act as if part of the historical environment. Such developments have been criticized as an intolerable vulgarization, but the success of many historical theme parks and similar locations suggests that the majority of the public does not share this opinion.
Recently, however, people's attitudes towards history and its presentation have changed. Now the key word of cultural relics display is "experience", the more exciting the better. If possible, the best article from the old roast duck IELTS involves all the senses. In the UK, excellent examples of this approach include the Jolwick Center in York and the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford; And the Imperial War Museum in London. In the United States, this trend appeared earlier: Williamsburg is the prototype for the development of many heritage sites in other parts of the world. No one can predict where this process of change will end. In the so-called historical sites, the repetition of historical events has become more and more popular, and computers will soon be able to provide virtual reality experience. This will give visitors a vivid picture of the period they choose. In this process, they seemed to be in the historical environment. This development has been criticized by some as unbearable vulgarization. But the success of many historical theme parks and similar sites shows that the majority of the public do not agree with this view.
Paragraph C
In a related development, the sharp distinction between museum and heritage sites on the one hand, and theme parks on the other, is gradually evaporating. They already borrow ideas and concepts from one another. For example, museums have adopted story lines for exhibitions, sites have accepted ‘theming’ as a relevant tool, and theme parks are moving towards more authenticity and research-based presentations. In zoos, animals are no longer kept in cages, but in great spaces, either in the open air or in enormous greenhouses, such as the jungle and desert environments in Burgers’ Zoo in Holland. This particular trend is regarded as one of the major developments in the presentation of n atural history in the twentieth century.
In the related development process, the sharp distinction between museums, cultural relics and historic sites and theme parks is gradually disappearing. They learned from each other's ideas and concepts. For example, museums use storylines for exhibitions, and venues use "themes" as related tools. Theme parks are moving towards more authentic and research-based display. In zoos, animals are no longer confined in cages, but move in huge spaces, either in the open air or in large greenhouses, such as the jungle and desert environment of Burgers Zoo in the Netherlands. This particular trend is considered to be one of the major developments in natural history in the twentieth century.
Paragraph D
Theme parks are undergoing other changes, too, as they try to present more serious social and cultural issues, and move away from fantasy. This development is a response to market forces and, although museums and heritage sites have a special, rather distinct, role to fulfil, they are also operating in a very competitive environments, where visito rs make choices on how and where to spend their free time. Heritage and museum experts do not have to invent stories and recreate historical environments to attract their visitors: their assets are already in place. However, exhibits must be both based on artefacts and facts as we know them, and attractively presented. Those who are professionally engaged in the art of interpreting history are thus in a difficult position, as they must steer a narrow course between the demands of ‘evidence’ and ‘attractiveness’, especially given the increasing need in the heritage industry for income-generating activities.
Theme parks are also experiencing other changes. They try to present more serious social and cultural problems and get rid of illusions. This development is a response to market forces. Although museums and sites need to perform very special duties, they operate in a very competitive environment. Tourists can choose how and where to spend their leisure time. Site and museum experts do not have to invent stories or reshape the historical environment to attract tourists: their capital is already in place. However, display must be based on the objects themselves and what we know about them, and at the same time, it must be attractive. Therefore, those who specialize in the art of historical interpretation are in a dilemma, because they must find a narrow path between the requirements of "evidence" and "attraction", especially considering that the heritage industry increasingly needs income generating activities.
Paragraph E
It could be claimed that in order to make everything in heritage more ‘real’, historical accuracy must be increasingly altered. For example, Pithecanthropus erectus is depicted in an Indonesian museum with Malay facial features, because this corresponds to public perceptions. Similarly, in the Museum of Natural History in Washington, Neanderthal man is shown making a dominant gesture to his wife. Such presentations tell us more about contemporary perceptions of the world than about our ancestors. There is one compensation, however, for the professionals who make these interpretations: if they did not provide the interpretation, visitors would do it for themselves, based on their own ideas, misconceptions and prejudices. And no matter how exciting the result, it would contain a lot more bias than the presentations provided by experts.
It can be said that in order to make everything in the relics more "real", we must make more and more changes to the historical accuracy. For example, the Homo erectus in the Indonesian Museum has the facial features of Malays, which echoes the public's idea. Similarly, in the Natural History Museum in Washington, the Neanderthals on display are making dominant gestures to their wives. Such an exhibition tells us more about the contemporary view of the world than about our ancestors. However, professionals who make such explanations can get a psychological comfort: if they do not provide such explanations, tourists will make up their own ideas, misunderstandings and prejudices. Moreover, no matter how exciting the results are, they contain far more biases than the reports provided by experts.
Paragraph F
Human bias is inevitable, but another source of bias in the representation of history has to do with the transitory nature of the materials themselves. The simple fact is that not everything from history survives the historical process. Castles, palaces and cathedrals have a longer lifespan than the dwellings of ordinary people. The same applies t o the furnishings and other contents of the premises. In a town like Leyden in Holland, which in the seventeenth century was occupied by approximately the same number of inhabitants as today, people lived within the walled town, an area more than five times smaller than modern Leyden. In most of the houses several families lived together in circum stances beyond our imagination. Yet in museums, fine period rooms give only an image of the lifestyle of the upper class of that era. No wonder that people who stroll around exhibitions are filled with nostalgia; the evidence in museums indicates that life was so much better in the past. This notion is induced by the bias in its representation in museums and heritage centers.
Human prejudice is inevitable, but another source of prejudice revealed by history is related to the temporality of the material itself. A simple fact is that not all objects in history can survive in the process of history. Castles, palaces and cathedrals live longer than people's homes. The same is true of houses, furniture and other items. In a small town like Leiden in the Netherlands, where the number of residents in the 17th century was almost the same as today, the area of the town surrounded by walls is less than one fifth of today's area. In most houses, several families live together in an environment we cannot imagine. However, in the museum, exquisite rooms can only provide a picture of the lifestyle of the upper class society at that time. No wonder people visiting the exhibition are full of nostalgia. The evidence in the museum shows that life in the past is much better. This concept is caused by the deviation between museums and heritage in the display.
The life and work of Marie Curie
Young children's sense of identity
