ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the etymology of museums for peace. Are museums conservative instruments of cultural or ideological hegemony, or active agents critiquing historical injustice? Are museums for peace trapped by the constraints of nationalism and colonialism or free to present radical alternative visions of a culture of peace?
The concept of peace, itself, has a range of definitions and interpretations, from inner (personal) peace to interpersonal (community) peace to global peace. It implies non-violent transformation of conflict, the elimination of warfare and structural violence, together with the affirmation of human rights, and the sustainability of the planet.
Museums for peace, in which intent may be as significant as content, include not only peace museums – where war resistance and peace are the themes of collection and exhibition – but also memorial museums, civil rights museums, “sites of conscience,” peace parks, archives, and educational projects.
This chapter describes diverse interpretations and meanings of the genre, with examples of the content, practices, and philosophy of a range of museums around the world. Its critical analysis indicates where institutions have the potential to self-identify as a “museum for peace.” It provides a context and reference point for themes and museums highlighted in subsequent chapters of this volume.
