Grassi museum pictures

colin henshaw · 14th March 2016, 08:27 PM

Looks a good collection of old material. Thanks for posting...

Rick · 14th March 2016, 08:33 PM

Not sure what's up with the editorializing on the cases in the first few pictures

; but I'll take one order of item #18.

Tim Simmons · 14th March 2016, 08:55 PM

Thanks Rick. I have to admit I cannot work out what the slogans on the display cases are trying put forward. To be honest I was really surprised such an institute would do this. I just see it as some kind of muddled right on,ness

and as so somewhat disrespectful. Curiously just aimed at Africa. Surely being able to see another cultures material artifacts is a form of education and some way of understanding the environment that the artifacts were made in.

A. G. Maisey · 14th March 2016, 10:14 PM

The comments on the display cases are in the same spirit as Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi".

I see more and more of this packaging of the things that we did not realise were valuable to us until they were no longer there.

In Sydney we have a state owned museum called the Power House Museum, it is museum of technology, or at least that's what it was supposed to be when it was set up to replace the venerable Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences. Over the years since the Power House was opened it has deteriorated into nothing much more than a child minding facility.

Yes, it does have some quite good examples of technology, but it fails miserably as a museum.

We cannot blame the successive managers and administrators for this, it is a product of changes in community expectations and attitudes, combined with restriction of funds.

I believe the Grassi comments are saying:-

"there is more to education than simply looking at things in glass cases"

one could take the attitude that it is an encouragement to expand the mind and commence to learn.

Rick · 14th March 2016, 10:36 PM

Well, I guess we should be glad that in this era and PC mindset that we can see them at all when in many other venues they would be quietly rusting away in the cellar.

A. G. Maisey · 15th March 2016, 01:09 AM

In the cellar but not quite rusting was the fate of the old Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences collection of weaponry.

They had a very, very good reference collection of early firearms, a solid collection of edged weapons, including keris and other Asian weaponry.

All this has now been hidden from sight:- it is no longer socially acceptable to display things that are used to kill people.

The paradigm for display in this museum, and I guess many other "enlightened" museums is contrary to the supposed objective, which is intended to demonstrate technological development.

Technology has its greatest leaps forward because of the human need and desire to kill other humans, and this happens on its most grand scale in times of war and other conflict.

Regrettably the people who dictate display criteria for the Power House and similar institutions seem to believe that by looking at the world through rose coloured glasses it will naturally follow that the world will become rose coloured --- and probably smell as one.

VANDOO · 15th March 2016, 05:38 AM

UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS A GROUP WHOSE HOBBY SEEMS TO BE FINDING SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE ENJOYED FOR GENERATIONS AND MAKING IT POLITICALLY INCORRECT. THEY ARE A SMALL GROUP BUT VERY LOUD AND SEEM TO BE ABLE TO RAISE PLENTY OF MONEY TO BOMBARD THE REST OF US WITH THEIR RANTS AND PROPAGANDA. THEY HAVE HAD RECENT SUCCESSES CLOSING DOWN ZOOS, AND MARINE ATTRACTIONS AS WELL AS FORCING CIRCUSES TO CONFORM TO SOME OF THEIR DEMANDS. PERHAPS NOW THEY WANT TO REGULATE MUSEUMS AND DECIDE WHAT THEY CAN HAVE ON DISPLAY. IF THEY SUCCEED MUSEUMS WILL NO LONGER BE WORTH THE VISIT IN MANY CASES. THEY HAVE TRIED TO REGULATE COLLECTORS THRU VARIOUS LAWS FOR QUITE SOME TIME BUT ARE NEVER SATISFIED.

THANKS FOR THE PICTURES AND EXCUSE MY RANT

BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS BUT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN EXHIBITS IN A MUSEUM DEFACED WITH WHAT I VIEW AS PROPAGANDA.
THE LONG GLASS SPEAR POINT IS REMARKABLE WHERE IS IT FROM. THEY HAVE SOME VERY NICE CLUBS AND EDGED WEAPONS AS WELL, I HOPE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT THEIR COLLECTIONS AS WELL IN FUTURE.

14th March 2016, 08:27 PM	#1
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,429	Looks a good collection of old material. Thanks for posting...

14th March 2016, 08:33 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,365	Not sure what's up with the editorializing on the cases in the first few pictures ; but I'll take one order of item #18.

14th March 2016, 08:55 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,894	Thanks Rick. I have to admit I cannot work out what the slogans on the display cases are trying put forward. To be honest I was really surprised such an institute would do this. I just see it as some kind of muddled right on,ness and as so somewhat disrespectful. Curiously just aimed at Africa. Surely being able to see another cultures material artifacts is a form of education and some way of understanding the environment that the artifacts were made in.

14th March 2016, 10:14 PM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,060	The comments on the display cases are in the same spirit as Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi". I see more and more of this packaging of the things that we did not realise were valuable to us until they were no longer there. In Sydney we have a state owned museum called the Power House Museum, it is museum of technology, or at least that's what it was supposed to be when it was set up to replace the venerable Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences. Over the years since the Power House was opened it has deteriorated into nothing much more than a child minding facility. Yes, it does have some quite good examples of technology, but it fails miserably as a museum. We cannot blame the successive managers and administrators for this, it is a product of changes in community expectations and attitudes, combined with restriction of funds. I believe the Grassi comments are saying:- "there is more to education than simply looking at things in glass cases" one could take the attitude that it is an encouragement to expand the mind and commence to learn.

14th March 2016, 10:36 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,365	Well, I guess we should be glad that in this era and PC mindset that we can see them at all when in many other venues they would be quietly rusting away in the cellar.

15th March 2016, 01:09 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,060	In the cellar but not quite rusting was the fate of the old Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences collection of weaponry. They had a very, very good reference collection of early firearms, a solid collection of edged weapons, including keris and other Asian weaponry. All this has now been hidden from sight:- it is no longer socially acceptable to display things that are used to kill people. The paradigm for display in this museum, and I guess many other "enlightened" museums is contrary to the supposed objective, which is intended to demonstrate technological development. Technology has its greatest leaps forward because of the human need and desire to kill other humans, and this happens on its most grand scale in times of war and other conflict. Regrettably the people who dictate display criteria for the Power House and similar institutions seem to believe that by looking at the world through rose coloured glasses it will naturally follow that the world will become rose coloured --- and probably smell as one.

15th March 2016, 05:38 AM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS A GROUP WHOSE HOBBY SEEMS TO BE FINDING SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE ENJOYED FOR GENERATIONS AND MAKING IT POLITICALLY INCORRECT. THEY ARE A SMALL GROUP BUT VERY LOUD AND SEEM TO BE ABLE TO RAISE PLENTY OF MONEY TO BOMBARD THE REST OF US WITH THEIR RANTS AND PROPAGANDA. THEY HAVE HAD RECENT SUCCESSES CLOSING DOWN ZOOS, AND MARINE ATTRACTIONS AS WELL AS FORCING CIRCUSES TO CONFORM TO SOME OF THEIR DEMANDS. PERHAPS NOW THEY WANT TO REGULATE MUSEUMS AND DECIDE WHAT THEY CAN HAVE ON DISPLAY. IF THEY SUCCEED MUSEUMS WILL NO LONGER BE WORTH THE VISIT IN MANY CASES. THEY HAVE TRIED TO REGULATE COLLECTORS THRU VARIOUS LAWS FOR QUITE SOME TIME BUT ARE NEVER SATISFIED. THANKS FOR THE PICTURES AND EXCUSE MY RANT BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS BUT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN EXHIBITS IN A MUSEUM DEFACED WITH WHAT I VIEW AS PROPAGANDA. THE LONG GLASS SPEAR POINT IS REMARKABLE WHERE IS IT FROM. THEY HAVE SOME VERY NICE CLUBS AND EDGED WEAPONS AS WELL, I HOPE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT THEIR COLLECTIONS AS WELL IN FUTURE.