Arts & Culture
Material Culture and Object Biographies in Museum Contexts
Quick fact
A single object can change meaning several times: a sacred figure becomes a market commodity, then a museum artifact, then evidence for a repatriation claim — and each shift alters what it speaks about.
Why this is interesting
We trust museums to show us history preserved in glass cases. But what if the objects on display have lived more than one life — and their real story depends on when and where you catch them?