淺談博物館「學」——文化研究的觀點

Theorizing Museums~The Perspectives from cultural Studies

博物館是社會教育的重要機構之一。1980 年以來，從事博物館研究的人愈來愈多，其中，為建構博物館理論者少，為吸引觀眾而改進博物館實務者眾。以文化研究的觀點，本文將博物館視為歷史條件下，各種社會勢力競爭文化主導權的領域，試圖描繪探究博物館的理論取向。首先，由結構面來看，博物館是一個充滿競爭的行動領域。其中，國家與國家間，國家與各社群間莫不競爭使用博物館，以展示自己的文化。雖說，展示是各種勢力較勁的過程，但是，大多數情況下，展示仍是資源多者戰利品。以社會歷史分析探究博物館日常作業，或文本分析解讀博物館展示規劃，將可以釐清知識與權力的關係。其次，由行動面看來，參觀博物館是意義獲取的行動，雖然說「欣賞」不表示全盤接受，但是，「欣賞」紮根於社會文化，並植基於個人的階級、性別和地域，也是不爭的事實。社會人類學分析將有助於澄清其間動態而複雜的關係。最後，留下來的問問，或許是全民督導博物館發揮公共領域（ public sphere ）精神，透過博物館專業運作所建的橋樑， 讓國際間、族群間、兩性間和世代間的對話順暢，以便形塑新的文化認同，早日臻於多元文化的社會。

Museums are key vehicles for the production and dissemination ofknowledge of our time. Nevertheless, the social scientific study the museum isrelatively underdeveloped.The essay explores the ways in which the museum is theorized within social andcultural studies. The study of the museum should cut across multiple levels ofthorizing. First of all, museum is concerned as contested sites in which avariety of actors are in competition to make publicity through the exhibition.Put it differently, not only the role of the museum in society is examined;also, its complex influence on democratic process and its participation in theconstruction and affirmation of different social identities are comprehensivelydepicted. Emphasizing the interaction between exhibition and visitor, the socialscientific study of museum should combine with an integration of micro macrolevels of analysis.In the latter part of the essay, it encourages curators to appreciate the museumas an agency not only of but also for communication, a medium through whichcitizens can be informed and through they can discover new kinds of identitythat is ready to make an experiment with. It means that the museum should creatthe condition for dialogue and discussion among the people who affirms ties offamily, ethnicity, gender and community.