The Origin of Everything: The Problem with Museums

I grew up a "PBS Kid". As much as I ran and played outside, reading and educational entertainment were highly prioritized. When I whined that I was bored as a kid, my mother would say something along the lines "Go read one of those books I spent all that money on." (SN: As an adult,  realized books really are expensive! Geez!) Because of that, I developed a love for just learning new things and history from a young age. This brings me to PBS's The Origin of Everything. I love the series. Their video on museums and their past of blurred ethics or downright unethical acquirement of many of the historical artifacts intrigued me. The video was published two years ago but the conversation is still relevant today.

Host Danielle Bainbridge opens with a scene from Disney's Black Panther where the villain Killmonger is in a museum looking at what only he knows is a vibranium artifact. While fictional, this scene has a similar thread of many conversations surrounding the ethics of museums. Danielle takes us along as she explains the history of museums and how they evolved over the centuries and leaves the conversation open on how we can both preserve human history and knowledge and do so ethically.

Do you enjoy museums? Have you ever thought of the ethics behind them, if so what is your stance?

Video Credit: The Origin of Everything