Negotiating a national memory: the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum

The British Empire & Commonwealth Museum is an attempt to grapple with Britain's history of imperialism and colonialism. The contents of the museum seek to address both the feeling of pride toward empire and the honest acknowledgement of empire's brutality. Expressing these two sides of Britain's imperialism at the same time makes the museum a site of contested identity. This article examines the ways in which the ambiguity of the museum is a reflection of the ambiguity of Britain's national identity and discusses how the museum's move from Bristol to London may increase the potential for a more reflective dialogue about Britain's history.