When someone visits a museum, they see the objects in the museum out of context. These objects that awe visitors are removed from their original or natural environment and placed in a new environment for the public. Because the objects are out of context, they are often not relatable to many people. The contextual approach to understanding, discussed by Susan Pearce in the article “Museums: the Intellectual Rationale”, is the idea that in order for a visitor to relate to an object, they must be able to interact with the object. Visitors are made aware of the time period the object came from and also what society was like. When I visited the Burke Museum in Seattle there were many displays about pacific island cultures. Rather than just placing objects and defining them; the museum used music, photographs, and personal stories to make me see that the artifacts were not just artifacts; they were owned and used by real people.
The most common approach a museum uses is to classify objects and inform visitors about the objects. The creators of the museum display objects and often write a small blurb about where the object was from, what it is, etc. The contextual approach differs from this approach and other approaches because it strives to put the object back into context and lead visitors to see the meaning or significance of an artifact. The contextual approach is very important today in museums especially because of post-modern thought. Using interactive exhibits, videos, and activities allows a person to be immersed in an exhibit and truly experience an idea, time period, or art.
