Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Catalogue of the Collection of Maps, Prints and Photographs Illustrating the History of the Island and City of Bombay
The particular function of a Local, in distinction to that of an Imperial Mu seum has been the subject of considerable debate among experts in recent years. Before the year 1850 local Museums were almost unknown in England or in India. The original stimulus was given to the movement for their establishment throughout England, by the first International Exhibition in 1851, a movement which soon afterwards spread to India. It lost its early momentum somewhat rapidly, and during the thirty years following its rise the condition of most of these institutions, founded with so much promise of bringing knowledge to, and promoting a. Taste for beautiful objects among the masses, was somewhat depressing. In England, the scheme was saved from an entire failure by the assistance given to local museums through the excellent system of circulating specimens from the Victoria and Albert Museum at South Kensington. Apart from the Works of art thus contributed, the ordinary local museums in England, were neither amusing nor instructive; they were understaffed, inadequately financed, without system, and the galleries in many instances appeared to be the repositories of such articles as the generous donors had no further use for, and wished to get rid of. In recent years a great improvement has taken place, and the true function of the local museum has been more completely realised. Amidst many divergent Opinions regarding their sphere of useful ness, ranging from that of a mere raree show to amuse children and the um leamed, to that of a scientist's laboratory, one View met with general accept ance, namely, that each local museum should be a centre for the collection and exhibition of the pictorial and other records, and antiquities connected with the past history of the City and locality in which the museum is situated. Nearly every county in England has its Archaeological Society with many enthusiastic antiquarians as members, and it is due to the cc-operation be tween these societies and the Curators of the Museums that the contents of these institutions have become so valuable to students and interesting to the public. Many museums have been fortunate in acquiring by purchase, gift, or bequest, valuable private collections of historical records; the public spirit of local residents having been stimulated by pride in their museums. The most striking example of the results which can be achieved when en thusiasm and expert knowledge are supplemented by private munificcnce has recently been seen in the foundation of the London Museum, and the furnishing of its galleries with a priceless and unique collection of specimens illustrating the history of that City for over a thousand years. In India most of the drawbacks noticed in English Local Museums were present and are being very slowly remedied. In order to remove one of these, I decided soon' after taking charge of the Victoria and Albert Museum to start upon.
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