Concerns have been raised over what is being perceived as government interference regarding how museums set out Britain’s imperial history, following recent campaigns such as the toppling of the Edweard Colston statue in Bristol last year, which sparked debates about whether historical objects related to our colonial past should be displayed.
According to the BBC, the Museums Association is concerned about recent developments, saying that “it is not for ministers to dictate what constitutes a legitimate subject for investigation”.
Sharon Heal, director of the organisation, observed that this “perceived interference” relating to matters of empire and slavery is worrying, adding: “It is both a hallmark of a democratic society and a cornerstone of museum ethics that our sector should operate at arms length from the government.”
These comments came after culture secretary Oliver Dowden held a meeting with representatives from heritage organisations about protecting heritage for the future, saying that a working group will be established and guidelines introduced to put the government’s “retain and explain” policy into practice.
Head of the Science Museum Group and chair of the National Museum Directors Council Sir Ian Blatchford made further comments, however, saying that the independence of museums is not being questioned or put at stake and that the meeting was a “timely exchange about the importance of telling a balanced and well-researched history of Britain”.
But unions such as Prospect, the FDA and PCS also voiced concerns that Mr Dowden is looking to “airbrush” the country’s colonialist and racist past, according to the Daily Telegraph, writing that members are now worried that the government is challenging the independence of institutions to drive a “culture war” over how historical figures are portrayed.
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