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When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination http://eprints.soton.ac.uk UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF HUMANITIES Archaeology Beyond the Looking Glass: Object Handling and access to museum collections By Alexandra Grace Walker Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy February 2013 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF HUMANITIES Archaeology Doctor of Philosophy BEYOND THE LOOKING GLASS: OBJECT HANDLING AND ACCESS TO MUSEUM COLLECTIONS By Alexandra Grace Walker For many, a museum visit may consist of gazing at objects locked away in glass a cabinet accompanied by signs forbidding touch, and complex and often confusing text panels. But what message does this present to the visiting public? How can the public connect with museums and their collections if objects are beyond their reach? Why is handling reserved for the museum elite and not the general public? The value of touch and object handling in museums is a growing area of research, but also one that is not yet fully understood. Despite our range of senses with which we experience the world around us, museums traditionally rely on the visual as the principle means of communicating information about the past. However museums are increasingly required to prove their worth and value in society by becoming more accessible, not just in terms of audience but by opening up their stored collections, and government agenda is pushing for culture to feature in the everyday lives of the public. This research pulls apart the hierarchical nature of touch in the museum, demonstrating the benefits of a “hands-on” approach to engaging with the past, investigating the problems and limitations associated with tactile experiences, and puts forward a toolkit for tactile access to collections. It suggests that handling museum collections, not only enhances our understanding of the past, but provides memorable and valuable experiences that will remain with an individual for life. i ii List of Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................i List of Contents .......................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. v Definitions and Abbreviations ................................................................................................. ix Academic Thesis: Declaration of Authorship ........................................................................ xi Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. xiii Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter One: The Journey of Touch in the Museum ........................................................... 9 Chapter Two: The Power of Objects ..................................................................................... 21 Chapter Three: Current Research in Object Handling ........................................................ 31 Chapter Four: Learning Theory and the Museum ............................................................... 61 Chapter Five: Methodology: a three part approach ............................................................. 77 Chapter Six: Analysis of the Collections Survey ................................................................... 91 Chapter Seven: Perspectives from the Profession: Interviews ......................................... 113 Chapter Eight: Putting it into Practice: Analysing handling experiences ........................ 165 Chapter Nine: The Future: Please Touch ............................................................................ 207 List of References .................................................................................................................... 215 Appendix One ......................................................................................................................... 231 Appendix Two ......................................................................................................................... 235 Appendix Three ....................................................................................................................... 239 iii iv List of Figures Figure 1. Dennison and Kirk’s Learning cycle. (Dennison and Kirk 1990, p.4) … 64 Figure 2. Virtuous v Vicious cycle. (Dennison and Kirk 1990, p. 17) …………… 65 Figure 3. Kolb’s Learning Cycle (Kolb 1984, p. 42) ……………………………… 66 F igur e 4. The Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) Framework. So ur ce: www.inspiringlearningforall.org …………………………………………………………. 87 Figure 5. Chart illustrating the approximate number of objects in handling collections across Hampshire Museum Service ……………………………………………………………… 95 Figure 6. Chart illustrating participants responses when asked what percentage of their collections are real …………………………………………………………………… 98 Figure 7. Chart illustrating the percentage of collections accessioned into Hampshire Museum Service collections …………………………………………………………………………99 Figure 8. Chart illustrating the number of staff members using Hampshire Museum Service handling collections ………………………………………………………………… 100 Figure 9. Chart illustrating the types of groups Hampshire Museum Service collections are used with ……………………………………………………………………………………… 101 Figure 10. Chart illustrating how Hampshire Museum Service collections are used with the public …………………………………………………………………………………… 103 Figure 11. Chart illustrating the types of situations in which Hampshire Museum Service collections are used (supervised/non-supervised) ………………………………………… 104 Figure 12. Chart illustrating the environments in which Hampshire Museum Service collections are used …………………………………………………………………………………… 105 Figure 13. Chart illustrating sources outside Hampshire Museum Service used for loans of objects …………………………………………………………………………………… 109 Figure 14: Positive and negative responses to engaging with objects during the lunchtime seminar 16th November 2007 ……………………………………………………………… 171 Figure 15. Chart illustrating the difference between attitudes of participants permitted to touch the objects, compared to those denied touch ………………………………… 173 v Figure 16. Young Archaeologists’ club member feedback form using illustrations to show that they enjoyed most about their visit ……………………………………………………… 180 Figure 17. Chart illustrating enjoyable and memorable aspects of the YAC meeting at the University of Southampton, 7th February 2009 …………………………………………… 181 Figure 18. Chart illustrating the Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) represented in club members feedback forms …………………………………………………………… 182 Figure 19. YA2’s feedback form illustrating her positive attitude toward her experience at the University of Southampton ……………………………………………………………… 184 Figure 20. YA3’s feedback form highlighting his newly acquired knowledge and understanding about the bones he handled during the YAC meeting ……………………………… 185 Figure 21. Two charts illustrating enjoyable (top) and memorable (bottom) aspects of the YAC visit to the University of Southampton, 9th May 2009 ………………………………… 188 Figure 22. Chart illustrating the Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) represented in club members’ feedback forms for 9th May 2009 ……………………………………………… 189 Figure 23. YA4’s feedback form where he articulates his excitement about the survey equipment used and results produced during the geophysics meeting …………………………………190 Figure 24. Increased knowledge and understanding demonstrated by YA5s drawing of himself using the resistivity meter during the geophysics meeting run by the University of Southampton ……………………………………………………………………………………… 191 Figure 25. An illustrated response from YA6 showing himself using the survey equipment and expressing his excitement at using the equipment twice …………………………………… 192 Figure 26. Pupils remember learning about oysters at Dukirt Barn, both demonstrate a level of knowledge and understanding acquired through their experience………………………… 197 Figure 27. The meaning map produced with children from Kimpton, Thruxton and Fyfield Primary School, Hampshire ………………………………………………………………. 198 Figure 28. Aspects of the day remembered most by children, demonstrating their positive attitude to the experience ………………………………………………………………… 202 Figure 29. Two children’s responses to engaging with archaeology at Wicor Primary School, Hampshire ………………………………………………………………………… 202 vi Figure 30. An example of a letter sent from a Western Primary School pupil to Winchester City Museums Education