Twelfth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Egyptological collections are ubiquitous at museums all over the world. They are central to the public reception of archaeology and popular destinations for scholars and visitors alike. However, the material that is on display represents only the tip of the iceberg. Most museums only have a fraction of their collections exhibited at any given time. Elsewhere in storage facilities are thousands of objects waiting for a research project, loan, temporary exhibition, or gallery redevelopment which might inspire their recall from obscurity. Whilst some celebrity items may be able to leave storage regularly, many of these collections constitute common finds, making them less appealing for display. Rather than leaving these collections to collect dust, we should become actively involved in promoting and permitting their accessibility to a more diverse public. Such collections can be particularly beneficial for opening up museums to communities suffering from geographical or socio-economic disadvantage, who often have little opportunity to visit collections. In this paper we present our own project incorporating deaccessioned ceramic collections alongside replicas and authentic artifacts to engage students from disadvantaged rural schools in Australia in the study of ancient Egypt. Through participation in an object-based learning pedagogy, the students are able to improve their critical thinking and source analysis skills. Confidence and knowledge is built through hands-on encounters with the past.