Radical Conservations: The Problem with the London Museum
Author(s)
Bailkin, Jordanna
Abstract
When the London Museum opened in 1912, its focus on everyday objects forced a re-imagining of London and the history of citizenship. The unique circumstances of the museum, particularly its perceived emphasis on a joint curatorial venture between the museum and its audience, encouraged Londoners to re-conceive of the visitor as an active participant in the creation of local and national identities. This reformulation of citizenship offered new possibilities for female participation in art, property, and politics. The museum embodied a new, anti-Victorian model of the British nation-state that was both creative and collectivist.
