I saw the Sutton Hoo helm!

Good heavens! Is it really two weeks since I blogged?? Bad travelling storyteller.

Okay, so my next great adventure was the British Museum (complete with reading room, and newly enclosed forecourt, shown above. That's Mark and Sarah, my fabulous hosts/housemates, in the pics above).

The British Museum is the world's oldest museum, free to the public since its inception in 1753. The British Museum Act of that year decrees that "This museum, and all its exhibits herein, shall be freely available to all Studious and Curious Persons". It's an awesome concept - and all because a bloke named Hans Sloane, a doctor and professional collector, donated his collection to the Crown (in exchange for a sum of money to be given to his descendents), which at the time of his death comprised several hundred thousand insect/plant specimens and hundreds of manuscripts, prints, pictures, coins and other curiosities collected from around the world.

So as such, the British Museum isn't so much a museum of things from Britain. In fact, my housemate Mark (partner to the lovely Sarah, and English), says it's more accurately described as "The Museum of Stuff We Nicked". Consequently, there's lots about this place that bothers me. Parts of the Acropolis from Greece are here, along with countless mummies, artifacts from Pacific and South American cultures and even some Aboriginal upright coffins from north western Australia.

I’m not denying the contribution of countless dedicated (and independently wealthy) archaeologists to Egyptology or the importance of exchanging knowledge to further our understanding of and tolerance for other cultures. But what’s missing, for me, is the story of how this stuff was collected – and whether the people from whom it was taken have ever consented to it being here.

Various displays blithely describe how many of the practices documented in their museum have since “died out”, with no acknowledgement that British explorers brought disease, violence or disinheritance that may have contributed to that. I know that Aboriginal Australians lobbied for years before finally getting agreement this week from the Musum for the return of some of the bones of their ancestors. You can read about it in The Age). The whole thing smacks of lingering colonialism and presumptions of superiority (even some of the commentaries still refer to ‘primitive’ people).

I’m not arguing from a position of moral superiority. Australia does not adequately acknowledge our indigenous past, or the enormous carnage wrought by English colonisation. New Zealand does it far, far better (the fantastic museum in Christchurch makes it very clear that every Maori exhibit has been prepared in consultation with Maori advisers and with respect for local spiritual beliefs).

So much of the museum left me feeling badly uncomfortable – I suspect there are big chunks of the collection that I will never look over.

The medieval British collection, however, is cool! The Sutton Hoo helm is here, and all the other bits unearthed from this 6th century grave, in immaculate condition. The Lewis Chess Set is here too, along with coins from William the Conqueror, and Irish and Viking brooches and jewellry unearthed on British soil (note - some of it was technically 'British' soil at the time of unearthing, but is now called the Republic of Ireland). I've been back twice since I first went with Sarah, Mark and Julia - I've decided that such visits are best conducted alone - Ive decided I'm probably quite painful to go see old stuff with, because I want to see, and read, and take notes on everything...