The challenges and complexity for a national natural...

Engaging with contemporary social issues –The challenges and complexity for a national natural science museum

Wen-Ling LinThe school of Museum Studies, University of Leicester

Exhibitionarypractices

Outline

Engagement with contemporary social issues

National Museum of Natural Science

Purpose of natural science

museum

Challenges and

Complexity

In the context of Taiwan

Preparatory Office of the National Human Rights Museum

Practitioners

How the universal values on combating social inequality influence the Taiwanese museum practice?

National Museum of Natural Science (NMNS)

Open in 1986

The second largest national museum

334 full‐time staff

Over 2 million visitors /year

Photo by: Lin Wen‐ling

Mission

Collecting and investigating natural specimens and anthropological relics.

To stimulate the public’s interest in the natural sciences and world cultures through creating engaging exhibits and educational programmes.

Research MethodOrganizational ethnographic approach

3 months intensive fieldwork

When the South Wind Blows: the Documentary Photography of Taixi Village

Sources: http://southwind.nmns.edu.tw/photo.aspx Photo by: Chung Sheng‐hsiung and Hsu Cheng‐tang

Political stance

Sources: http://southwind.nmns.edu.tw/photo.aspx

Formosa Plastic Group (FPG)The Sixth Naphtha Cracking Plant

Exhibition introduction text

Taixi Village is in Dacheng Township, Changhua County.To the south is Mailiao Township, Yunlin County,

the location of the Sixth Naphtha Cracking Plant, on the opposite side of the Zhuoshui River estuary.

In fall and winter, the northeast monsoon winds blow the pollution from the factory southward.

In summer, the south wind carries the pollutions to Taixi Village.“When the south wind blows” was the key phrase used by all of the

residents of Taixi Village who were interviewed. It is the opening line to their real‐life stories.

Various values and attitudes

The topic is too sensitive

Concern about anti‐government effect

The content is not offering enough scientific evidences Negotiation

Theatre workshop example

The residents can express their own opinions by performing a playAim

Collective created and prepared almost a half year by some Taixi Villagers and a Theatre GroupInput

The Play Explore the personal accounts about country life before and after the Sixth Naphtha Cracking Plant was located

Sources: Theatre workshop documentary

Sources: http://southwind.nmns.ed

Sources: http://southwind.nmns.edu.tw/photo.aspx

Polarized thinking

The view’s of the curator (echo to leading edge of the global museum studies discourse )

The long‐established culture of the museum that have tended to favour a dispassionate, depoliticised presentation

CLASH

Polarized thinking Neutrality of science vs. Fear of engagement

Basically we are a natural science museum and we are dealing with science. Science is precise about objectivity and neutrality so that we can not have a strong subjectivity on those social issues. (Associate Curator)

Polarized thinking Neutrality of science vs. Fear of engagement

In my opinion, they fear controversy but just because the fear you’ve lose the opportunity to open up further communication with the society – I think this is a mistake. (Associate Curator)

Concluding thoughts

Thank youWen‐Ling LinThe school of Museum Studies, University of [email protected]

The challenges and complexity for a national natural...

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