El abanico de la ecología política desde varios puntos de vista.

The interviews examinined why various institutions had chosen a particular way of interpreting the past and whether alternative

approaches had been considered. The majority of those interviewed had

only considered one way of telling the story. For some the collection or theme dictated the approach, others had wanted to design exhibitions with a particular purpose and the alternative ways of presenting the past were never explored. As Richard Doughty explained, oi N.F.H.C, the main exhibition was planned in less than a year. Once it was decided to focus on deep sea fishing in the 1950s, there was never time to look at alternative stories. N.M.L.H was one of the few museums who seemed to have consciously spent time developing their approach. As Myna Trustram said;

"We certainly don't think there is only one way to tell the story

absolutely not, and there are different ways, different theories of

history that we can u s e...chronologically or

dilferent resources objects and photographs" (Trustram

Where museums like Tolson or Kelham have looked at different approaches, more often than not they have decided to adopt a chronological approach. Peter Smithurst commented;

"I think the decision to pursue it chronologically in the fir-st instance was probably the simplest one to do and the one that the public mignt find easier to accept and relate to" (Smithurst 1992).

In presenting history as a chronology, it is difficult not to suggest within the displays an underlying acceptance or belief in progress. Whether it is through technological inventions or the improvements in living conditions the visitor is presented with a unconscious upward sloping graph of progess. For all the outward protestations of

neutrality, there is in many museums, a benign liberal humanist view of the past, which belies man's ability to conquer the forces of nature and make the world a better place.

In recent years museums have experimented with different approaches to the past. In France the Eco Musses, who have been influenced by the Annalist school of history have sought to examine the history of a

community in terms of the way it has evolved with the environment. Other museums have boldly incorporated different ways of looking at the past within the main body of the display, providing both feminist and Black interpretations of the past. Some have even been prepared tG experiment with a P'krxist or economic determinist view of history. At Tolson, in the newly planned gallery Dn archaeology, a panel will explain that little is known about the ordinary people in Mediaeval England, since little has survived. It goes on to say;

"Yet the whole wealth of the community depended on their efforts. It was they who built the castle for the lord, and the church for the priest, they grew the food that everyone ate and made the clothes they wo r e " .

This panel is illustrated by a mediaeval illustration from 1130-40 of Henry I dreaming of rebellious peasants. The term exploitation is never mentioned and the facts are left to speak for themselves, yet the

WHOSE HISTQEY t

Alongside the decision on which historical approach to adopt, the curator also has to decide whose history is to be presented. Previous chapters have demonstrated the many different interpretations available to the curator depending on their chosen perspective. For commentators such as Donald Horne (1984), the Popular Memory Group (1982) and Sian Jones (1991), museums tend to interpret the past through the eyes of the wealthy and powerful. Where subordinate groups do appear they act only to confirm the values of the dominant elite. A particular target of criticism by commentators such as Wright (1985) and Hewison (1987) has

been the historic Stately house of which many are owned by the national

Trust. They argue that in effect these act as guardians of the values and life styles of the rapidly declining landed aristocracy. Yet, as Eager Whitworth of the national Trust observed, little evidence other than that of the owners of most houses survive. The hundreds of servants have left few records and are often destined to be anonymous. He

continued;

I think that it is inevitably the case, actually. One is seeing Benningborough through the eyes o f the rich and wealthy and the landed classes and to a large extent that is something the Trust does in a wider field that most of the houses we preserve are the

grand houses of the past, and so one is showing people to a greater

degree the quality ol life of the rich rather than the common m a n " (Whitworth 1992).

Benningborough has a special arrangement with the National Portrait Gallery and contains over a hundred 18th century portraits, which are displayed throughout the house. Yet as Eay Barker acknowledged;

uone of its founding rules is that it collects pictures, no m a tter how good or bad of people who are in the Dictionary of National

In Virksworth Heritage Centre, there is a small display of famous men and women associated with Virksworth. It includes such names as D.H.Lawerence, Richard Arkwright,and Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot ). During the interview Matthew Burnby was asked whether history was made up of the great and famous;

"They

play

disparage the efforts and effects which these people have h a d.

Sometimes its over emph&t'sed and there is I think unfortunately at the present time, generally that is, to represent these people in an unfavourable light. What they did has to be looked at in the relations to the times in question, m y own view is these pople did

great things*. (Burnby 1992).