museums and Galleries of London

Essay by Breanna PostUniversity, Master'sA-, April 1997

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brilliant but i got some names wrong

The obsession of our era with museums is an intriguining phenomenon with many possible causes. Perhaps the first query we need to ask of ourselves is what has changed in society to cause this shift in priorities which has stimulated the massive new interest. The trends towards self improvement and the recent technology craze are two of the central influential trends which I feel have most directly caused the recent influx of museum interest. With more direct links to the public through mediums such as the television and internet, public awareness of museum exhibitions and special cultural opportunities is much more acute also explaining the increase in public interest. The demand then stimulates the industry and so more museums open every day.

        Today's trend towards self improvement, specifically the awareness of the importance of education and culture, is one that has many fewer class barrriers than historically such priveledges carried.

It is not unusual to see a woman in a fur coat perusing the same gallery as a student in torn jeans. Historically, the vast opportunities offered by great museums were restricted to those affluent enough to have the time and connections to organize a visit to museums. Now, with so many free admission museums and such high public awareness, it is easy to pop into any number of institutions. As a result of this increase in visits, the first time visitors cultivate a new interest resulting in even more demand explaining the massive amounts of new museum openings.

        I feel that the technology craze has also contributed to the influx of cultural entertainment seekers. With our world becoming more and more globally interconnected each day, there is new interest in foreign cultures. The easiest way to satisfy these new interests is to...