The question about the purpose of museums has sparked a controversy. While some argue that museums should be enjoyable so people can relax and unwind when visiting, others emphasize the educational purpose. This essay will discuss both perspectives and explain why I gravitate towards the latter.
On the one hand, it is believed that the mainstay purpose of museum is to entertain people. Since museums are tourist hotpots, museums should exhibit a collection of interesting objects that can draw the attention of the crowd. If the average visitors are excessively exposed to educational content, they will easily get bored and become less reluctant to visit the museum again. Therefore, museums should place emphasis on the entertaining aspects over educational aim.
On the other hand, another school of thought contend that museums should focus on education. The aim of exhibition should be to teach people about things which they did not previously know. For example, the history behind the museum needs to be explain to visitors, and this can be done in various ways. One of them is that some museums can employ professional guides to inform people, while others can offer headsets so that visitors can listen to detailed commentary about the exhibition. In this way, museums can play an important role in teaching people about history, culture, science, and many other aspects.
In conclusion, while some argue that museums should focus on entertaining aspects to attract more tourists, it seems to me that these places should place emphasis on education.