One of the most difficult questions that humans ask is "Where do we come from?". Of course it can be simple, but at the same time it can be very complex to answer. Museums offer evidence to help search for questions that we have about our past. They provide clues, backgrounds, and stories of mankinds' puzzling timeline that assist us in bridging the gap between then and now. These organizations may seem harmless and helpful, but are we getting the entire truthful story of our past? In Professor Jordanova's essay "Public History", museums are called into question on the issue of whether they are instructing people accurately about history, or if the museums are just setting up an array of bells and whistles that appeal to the masses. Bearing that in mind museums have become "major cultural forces" in showing the populace items of the past, and aren't really aimed at professional historians. Another thing to think about when gathering information from museums is the way they get funding. Museums can recieve goverment funding, and ultimately that means it will be the government (or whomever is funding the establishment) that will have the final say in what is being displayed within the confines of these exhibits we have all come to know and love. When visiting these places, it's important for people not to form opinions based only on the colloquialisms, generalizations, and idioms of heroes and villains. People should go in with an open mind, collect data, and filter through it by researching more about topics before drawing any conclusions. Everyone needs to approach the museum ticket counter with a "buyer beware" sense, so we are not forgetting and leaving out parts of history that may dissapear before future generations are able to analyze them for themselves.
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