Penn Museum Object

Palette of Narmer (reproduction)
Egyptian Section

During my visit at the Penn Museum, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out which object to write about.  This is the Palette of Narmer, a famous example of Egyptian writing and hieroglyphs.  The Penn Museum has reproduction of this object on display, to demonstrate the different forms of writings and stories that can be deciphered from relief images such as this.  This object would be important to anyone who is studying Egyptian culture, language, or symbolism.  It was most likely acquired in order to demonstrate the way in which ancient Egyptians portrayed their kings, and the symbols used that discern that this was indeed about King Narmer.       

The object is displayed in a case alongside other objects that demonstrate different writings and hieroglyphs.  All of the objects are in a display case, and the Palette of Narmer is actually on the left side of the case.  The way in which it is positioned makes it difficult for viewers to see the detail on the surface of this object.  Because there is not a very descriptive label or panel about this single object, the artifacts surrounding it are supposed to convey the message of this piece.  I think that there should be more information given about the symbols in this work, because it truly demonstrates the way in which Egyptians represented their kings.  

For example, the name of the king is known because it can be found between the two Hathor faces on the very top register.  Also, we can discern that it is a king because of the size of the central figure compared to the other people in the image.  Not only that, but it can be determined which kingdom this king was from (Upper and Lower) based on the style of his hat.  None of that information was provided by the museum, the palette was only mentioned on a identification panel that said it was a reproduction, that it was an example of hieroglyphs, and that it was c. 3000 BC.  Because the other objects near the Palette of Narmer are also examples of hieroglyphs, visitors can deduce that this is as well, but there is not much mentioned about the meanings of the images.  Here is more information about the symbolism used on the Palette of Narmer. 

Archaeology and the study of Ancient Egypt would definitely enrich my understanding of this object.  I would like to know how this object was discovered and how the meaning of these symbols were determined.  Many people are fascinated by Egyptian history and I think that knowledge that is required to discern the meanings of objects like this is extremely interesting and would be enchanting to many others.  Someone who might not be interested in this object would be those who do not find replicas appropriate in museums.  I think that in instances like this, it is just fine to not have the original because the meaning of the object can still be understood.  People who are only seeking authenticity would be let down by the fact that this object is not an original.

I wish it were possible to understand the actual and true meaning and use of this object.  Historians attribute meaning to writings such as this, but it would be great to know if the attributions are actually 100% correct.  That would be an opposing view that would tell a different story.  I also would like to know more from the people who found the object and those who deciphered its meaning.  Perhaps they would have more information than what I have learned in basic art history courses.   

In order to engage viewers with this object, I would suggest developing more didactic information so that visitors can understand hieroglyphs.  I think it would also be interesting to have a scavenger hunt (I know it is a bit overdone in museums, but it's still fun) that would start off by informing visitors about the different style hats of upper and lower Egypt, and other common representations of kings.  Then it would encourage visitors to see how many different examples of hats and royal images that they can find in the Egyptian galleries.  Visitors can identify which kings they think are being represented, and which part of the country they ruled in.  Even though this object is not authentic, I think there can be a lot of educational implementations developed from it.                     

American Philosophical Society Object

Nocturne (Written for the night)
Tempus Fugit: Time Flies
Antonia Contro
2012

The "object" that I have chosen at the American Philosophical Society is "Nocturne" which is window #4 of the Tempus Fugit: Time Flies exhibition.  This "window" includes multiple objects that are all related to the passing of time and scientific contributions to the field of astronomy and how it relates to time.  The artist who designed the entire exhibition at the APS is Antonia Contro, and in each of the nine windows there are historic objects along side with Antonia's artistic interpretation of those objects.     

This object is important to those who are interested in science and how time has been recorded in the past, and how theories about time have developed over the years.  It might also be very important for people who have an appreciation for art installations and artistic interpretations.  This window is on display because it fits into the theme of "Time Flies," because it holds examples about how specific people recorded the passing of time (based on lunar and astronomical events).  The historic items that are in this display were not acquired with the intent to be displayed alongside an artist's interpretation, but to be an informative piece of work to convey some type of information to people.  Also, they were intended to be a reference to the scientific work of those who have shaped the field.  But despite that, it is now displayed in this way.  The objects in this case interact with each other as if they are all communicating information from one to the next.  

Theorica Verdadeira Das Mares
(Treatise on the true theory of tides)
Jacob de Castro Sarmento, London, 1737

Cosmographicus Liber Petri Apaiani
Mathematici Studiose Collectus
Peter Apian, 1524

The books in this window are all open and frozen in the position as if someone were reading them.  It is a great source to be able to see first hand the writings of these famous manuscripts.  

There are not any labels or panels in the entire exhibition that provide information to the importance of these objects.  This makes it extremely difficult for visitors to understand what the artist was trying to do in designing this exhibition.  Also, visitors might not even be aware that this is an artist's installation, or what the objects actually are.  Visitors might not want to return to the APS because they might believe that this is the type of exhibition that is always at the museum.  Most of the APS's visitors are tourists and others who are visiting Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.  These visitors are most likely not interested in this object, because they might want to see the historical relevance of the objects, and be provided with content and information.  Also, the members of the museum have expressed distaste for the style of this exhibition, especially since they are all scholarly people that are interested in facts rather than artistic interpretation.  However, there is an artist's statement that can be found on the wall that mentions the purpose or intent of this exhibition.  There are also small paragraphs that explain each "window," but they are written in a way that also involves interpretation from the viewer.  People who are looking for factual information might not appreciate this type of representation.     

In order to enrich my understanding of this aspect of the exhibition, I would be interested in learning more about Peter Apian and Jacob de Castro Sarmento.  It would be interesting to know what their theories and observations contributed to the field.  Peter Apian's observation of a lunar eclipse on October 28, 1547 is listed on NASA's website as the longest partial lunar eclipse.  It would also be good to know how the artist decided to place these objects.  What was her thought process, and how did she choose each historic piece.  The interesting aspect of this installation, is that all visitors will have a different perspective or narrative to the objects.  Because there are not any labels, visitors have to make personal connections to the works.  This was intended by Antonia Contro and it might be a way for people to reflect on how time is experienced differently by everyone.  

I think that based on the visitation that the APS gets, there should have been some type of signage within the exhibition to enable visitors to take something away from it.  When people go to a museum, they want to be presented with some type of information and see important and interesting objects.  Even though there are great number of important things that can be found in this exhibition, people are unaware of what they are looking at.  It might also be good to present a lecture by Antonia Contro in order for visitors and members of the APS to grasp the inent of this exhibition.  I really like that the American Philosophical Society is trying to broaden its audience by bringing in different types of exhibitions, but I think that there should be a progression in order for this type of show to be a success.       

The Academy of Natural Sciences Object

Walk Like a Dinosaur Exhibit

The object that I chose is the treadmill and dinosaur mechanism that makes up the "Walk Like a Dinosaur Exhibit."  This interactive can be very important for visitors that are seeking a hands on experience in the museum.  Children could particularly be interested in the object, because it forces them to engage with the information to fully understand how dinosaurs would move based on the alignment of their bones and joints.  Exhibiting information in this way allows for the visitors to have a visual understanding of the information that is being presented, and therefore can reach a broader sense of learners.  Not everyone can read a panel of information, or they do not want to read every single panel.  It is good to have materials for visitors to have an experience with.  I can assume that this is why it was included in the gallery.     

This object is displayed near real dinosaur bones so that visitors can connect the information that is being supplied with the real objects that are on display.  The label mentions how the bones are located right next to this exhibit, and it is written so that any visitor could understand and convey the information.  However, it might be difficult for young visitors to understand the term "vertebrate," and it is written a couple times on the panel.  But it could be easily explained by parents or adult visitors based on the information provided.

Paleontology is a subject that would definitely further my knowledge of this subject as well as biology.  It is important to know how species evolve and based on the fossils of dinosaurs, it shows us a species that is completely unknown.  It would also be good to understand the history and evolution of Earth over billions of years and how that effected the fossilization of these creatures.  A good website that outlines the this process can be found here.  Also, it would be good to know about geology and what types of climates these creatures were living in and how that impacted their skeletal structures.        

People who might not be interested in this object would be those who are physically not capable of operating it.  Also, it might be something that is uninteresting to those who believe that dinosaurs are some kind of conspiracy.  Although, I think that the amount of people who believe this are very slim in population.  People that do not learn through hands on experiences might not recognize the importance of this educational tool.  They might just view it as a fun aspect of the exhibit rather than an informative one.   

Currently, there are other types of interactives in the same exhibition space that demonstrate how different dinosaurs moved.  It allows for visitors to actually take the positions that dinosaurs would have walked in and take the steps that they have.  I think that it would also be good for imagery of these dinosaurs to be depicted, and also to have skeletal structures to be on display.  It might also be interesting to have a video display with graphics that depict the movement of a dinosaur while a person is operating the machine.  This would also enhance the engagement of visitors, by drawing attention to the exhibit and therefore more visitors would obtain the information.  Overall, this exhibit is really a great tool for visitors to interact with and engage with the information.  

The Academy of Natural Sciences