PDF-Version

In the course of a two-month research project on London's international population and culture, I frequently visited the British Museum. Every visit to me felt like walking on a grand stage, where I could meet different cultures, acting across time and space. However British culture, few exceptions aside, seemed to have missed its cue. Most visitors I talked to; Americans, Italians, Brits said that they did not understand why the museum was called “British”. Many of them extended this impression to London as a whole, arguing that besides from a few representative symbols (taxis, buses and Buckingham Palace guards), it was hard to find typical pieces of Britain in London.

Hence I had the idea of introducing a British Gallery to the British Museum. This gallery should attempt to place the visitor right into current-day Britain - beyond London and beyond common stereotypes. It should give British people the opportunity to express personally what Britain means to them. Thereby the British Museum could become a national and international museum, mirroring both Britain's historic and current position.