In the contemporary world, opinions are divergent on whether the main purpose of museums is recreation or education. In this essay, I will shed light on two both perspectives before elucidating why I lean towards the latter notion.
On the one hand, museums entertain people by providing immersive and inspiring experiences. These places provide individuals to broaden their horizons and experience new technology. For example, there are thousands of visitors who are addicted to the VR headsets, an equipment that allows them to use their imagination and live in a virtual world. Therefore, these new activities allow tourists to satisfy their curiosity and reduce stress. However, as social media is more developed than never, individuals can find millions of recreational ways to relieve and unwind. Instead of wasting their time spending on the museums, they rather choose sitting at home and seek for new ways to entertain. As a result, these kinds of exhibitions which depend on amusement cannot exist for a long time.
On the other hand, galleries with educational purposes can provide a wide range of useful information compared to others. A historical museum helps tourists gain deeper knowledge about their ancestors’ roots and understand more about the ancient living on Earth. For example, the British museum in London contains thousands of antiquities of different countries such as China, Egypt or Greece. Individuals through each journey of visiting History galleries can gain deeper wisdom and have a deeper understanding about cultural values given by each country.
In conclusion, while museums nowadays are developing more by combining modern technology and traditional exhibits to offer visitors a more interactive environment, I firmly believe that their main goal is still informing and educating about the past and its timeless values.