Naming and narratives at natural history dioramas

Abstract

People come to the museum to look at natural history dioramas with a wealth of previous relevant knowledge and experience as well as expectations, their entry narratives and agenda, which may differ amongst members of the same visiting group. These different contexts, which they bring with them as memories, form the entry voice of the visitor, the start of their narrative. They affect the interpretation, the viewing voice and narrative of that which they view, which may be collegiate as well as individual. The museum which houses the dioramas also has its own voice heard through in the context in which the dioramas are cited and in the form that the dioramas takes as well as interpretation provided about the content, the story of the dioramas from the perspective of the museums which may include situational and culturally historical context as well as ecological and geographic. This chapter discusses the narratives at dioramas, analysis of content, the structure of questions and the emergence of understanding and inquiry science approach, which can be scaffolded at dioramas by a significant other, person or other media or by self reflection and internal dialogue with self.