Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections March 2018 - 23

Book Reviews
values, cultural values, and collecting objects that arose
during the Museum Enlightenment period in Chapter 6,
"The Museum Enlightened, 1600-1800." The Age of Enlightenment coincided with the scientific revolution. Ideas
about science, reason, liberty, and progress dominated
Europe and China. Collections were still made by private
individuals, but exhibited to the public. This period had a
profound impact on the nature of collecting and the development of museums. Simmons describes the Tradescant Ark
and Catalog. (The first public museum in England was the
result of the collecting activities John Tradescant the Elder
and his son John Tradescant the Younger). Several European
cabinets of curiosities were well-known across the continent
(e.g., the Museum Wormianum, the Swammerdam Wunderkammer, the Copi collection and the Vincent Collection).
This period saw the rise of iconic museums across Europe
(e.g., the Ashmolean and the British Museum in England,
the Theatrum Anatomicum in Leiden, and the Louvre in
Paris, among others). In Chapter 7, "Emergence of the
Modern Museum, 1800-1900," Simmons discusses the
proliferation and diversification of museums, as well as the
changing nature of museum collections in the nineteenth
century. The Industrial Revolution and the move away from
the agrarian lifestyle shaped societies and therefore their
museums in profound ways. Many national museums were
founded at this time. The European concept of a museum
was exported worldwide. Museums became socially sanctioned gathering places for the general public. The importance of order and method gave the collections scientific
value. The most significant changes in collection organization, structure and function during this time period took
place in natural history museums. Museums became producers of research, rather than just educational institutions. The
concept of museology started to develop and several significant museological texts were published. In Chapter 8,
"Museums in a World Gone Awry, 1900-1970," Simmons
describes how events of the twentieth century (e.g., two
world wars, the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression,
and imperial colonies receiving independence) allowed
museums to expand exponentially in number, variety and
complexity, as well as in types of activities offered. A
preference for chronological or geographic arrangements
became the norm. Historic preservation and restoration,
especially after the wars, came into vogue. This had a big
impact on historic house museums, especially in America.
Separation of collections into those for exhibition and those
for study (a practice started in the previous century) continued to affect museum development (e.g., building more and
larger collections storage areas). Professional museum
associations were founded. Formal training of museum
professionals was instituted. Preventive conservation gained

dominance in museums. To conclude, Simmons discusses
what is happening now in museums and what might happen
in the future in Chapter 9, "Learning to Read Objects
(Again): The Post-Postmodern Museum." He talks about the
trends that have influenced museum operation and collections management (e.g., computers), since the beginning of
the twentieth century. He defines the "universal museum"
(an encyclopedic museum with extensive collections,
usually founded during the Enlightenment), and the arguments for and against maintaining such museums. Two
sections in this chapter are devoted to museums in the U.S.
and worldwide post-1970. Simmons discusses in detail how
the focus and theoretical underpinnings of museum education changed after 1970. He also covers the rise of specialty
museums like indigenous museums, museums of memory
and eco-museums. An interesting section in this chapter
focuses on issues that have significantly affected the development of museums since 1970-deaccessioning, interpretation, NAGPRA, virtual museums, and controversies (e.g.,
treating objects as religious fetishes, accommodating
cultural traditions in caring for objects, lack of inclusion in
exhibits and education). The concept of "new museology"
included new concepts of what museums should be and how
museums should communicate with society at large. The
museum profession became more focused on the importance
of educating and training museum professionals. Simmons
describes various training programs that were created and
how museum studies became a formal field of study. Simmons concludes that we can learn how museums evolved to
serve different needs at different periods of time by studying
the history of museums. Museums are more than just holders
of evidence; they are places for learning, stimulation,
consolation and entertainment. Their roles in society are as
diverse as the people that they serve.
This book is well structured and easy to navigate. The table
of contents is followed by a list of the figures, tables, and
boxes contained in the book, in a format that is easy to
search for items of particular interest. The figures and tables
provide interesting images and information that enhance the
relevant text. The boxes, a technique used in other museum
publications such as Museum Administration: An Introduction (Hugh H. Genoways and Lynne M. Ireland, AASLH,
AltaMira Press, 2003), relay interesting information, anecdotes, or case studies related to subjects discussed in the
body of the chapters. Examples include, "Flint Knapping,"
"The Development of Writing," "A Visit to Alexandria,"
"Snake Stones," "The Medici Dynasty," "Losing One's Marbles," "Mr. Frisky, Docents, and Choo-Choos," "The Long,
Strange Saga of the Barnes: What is (and Is Not) a Museum?" "From Binary to Primary: Computers in Museums,"
and "The Case of the Maori." The bibliography is extensive
March 2018 * 23

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections March 2018