Religious Objects in Museums: Private Lives and Public Duties

Abstract

Crispin Paine's Religious Objects in Museums: Private Lives and Public Duties is a broad and very useful survey of the state of “objects which may in some sense be considered ‘religious'” (2) in museums worldwide today. Paine, a seasoned museum professional, has for several decades been traveling and observing the treatment of religious objects—and hence religion itself—in museum settings. The depth and breadth of his familiarity with the subject and its changing practice across the globe is astounding, as reflected in his many enlightening examples and the book's thorough and highly useful bibliography. Paine makes religious objects come alive with interest and relevance, as expressed in his chapter headings: religious objects in museums are “curat ed,” “visited,” “worshipped,” “claimed,” “respected,” “dangerous,” “elevating,” “militant,” “promotional,” and “explanatory.” He finds these objects in a wide range of settings, from anthropological collections to modern theme-park creations; from evangelistic, pro-religion museums to Soviet “Museums of Atheism;” from vast, national museums to local house museums; and from the rational setting of the natural history museum to the quasi-sacred space of the art museum. He shows us that not only are religious objects in museums increasingly demanding and receiving curatorial and public attention, museums are becoming more open (however tentatively) to the overt expression of religion within their walls, even hosting explicitly religious events and celebrations, such as the annual Buddhist festival at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.