Museums as Places for Intercultural Dialogue and Learning

Renegotiating Irish Identity: the Chester Beatty Library and Ireland

Jenny Siung, Head of Education, Chester Beatty Library, 4 April 2014

Who was Chester Beatty?

• Born in New York 1875• Qualified as mining

engineer 1897• Settled in London 1912• British subject 1933• Moved to Dublin 1955• Knighted 1954• Died Monte Carlo 1968

History of Ireland

• Celts, Vikings, Normans, English and Scots present in Irish history

• Twin identity: the settler and the native, ‘them’ and ‘us’

• Rich and complex history

History of Ireland cont.

• 2 Famines• ‘Cultural Collapse’• Loss of Irish language• Nationalism• Irish Free State 1922• Roman Catholic Church

gatekeeper of morality; education, health, culture & politics

Dublin and Rural Ireland 1950s

Image of Ireland

• Romantic nationalistic identity of Ireland sold at home and abroad

• Official Tourist Board – does it recognise diverse Irish communities in its ad campaign?

• Selling point is national identity

History of Irish Museums

• Royal Irish Academy est. 18th century

• Promotion of science, literature and antiquities

• Opened to the public in 1857

• Irish cultural artefacts moved to the National Museum of Ireland 1890

History of Irish Museums cont.

• Museum of Science and Art an ancillary of the Dept. of Science and Art in South Kensington

• Industrial and cultural objects on display; South & East Asia, the Middle & Near East and Europe

Irish Cultural Identity

Recognition of New Irish Identity

• Education, Community & Outreach

• Recognition of New Identities in Ireland

• Role of policy, arts and cultural institutions

• Role of intercultural dialogue and learning

Muraqqa/A Sikh Face in Ireland

Role of Communities

Intercultural Learning ProgrammeGuided toursLectures Club for Children & Teens Workshops for adultsArt DemonstrationsFilmsFamily EventsOutreachMusic performances

Partnerships• Anna Lindh Foundation

Irish Network• Dublin City Council

Office of Integration• European-funded

projects: Map for Intercultural Dialogue, The Learning Museum

• Inclusion and Diversity Services Northern Ireland

• Asia Europe Museum Network

• Festival of Curiosities

Identity, Diversity and Citizenship• National museums and archives have long been

concerned with enabling the public to explore their heritage and identity and to understand different cultures….National museums provide a vital source of learning for other public bodies concerned with identity, diversity and citizenship. Museums and archives provide an invaluable educational tool in understanding identities, and unique opportunities to bring different people together.

Identity, Diversity and Citizenship: Lessons for Our National Museums, British Museum 2007, NDMC

Conclusion

• ….museums teach us about what it means to be human, to reflect on the legacy of history and on what divides and unites us: museums therefore “are incubators of community”, museums encourage learning, interaction, and relationships, facilitate dialogue and assist in the delineation of a shared future

Robert Archibald