Around the world, there are hundreds of museums in the open-air, with reconstructed houses, based on archaeological sources. These are so-called archaeological open-air museums. They tell the story of people like you and me, how they struggled with daily life, made inventions or witnessed important moments in (pre)history. These museums explain what the world was like before our times and what we can learn from the past.
In 2008, EXARC defined what an archaeological open-air museum is. This definition has become widely accepted, the phrase commonly used:
An archaeological open-air museum is a non-profit permanent institution with outdoor true to scale architectural reconstructions primarily based on archaeological sources. It holds collections of intangible heritage resources and provides an interpretation of how people lived and acted in the past; this is accomplished according to sound scientific methods for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment of its visitors.
It was a bold and challenging brief. The trustees decided to commission two alternative reports. They invited Patrick Geddes, the pioneering biologist, sociologist, environmentalist, social reformer and city planner, to produce one of these, and T. H. Mawson the other. For Geddes, this was an opportunity to bring together his life's work across many disciplines in one visionary scheme. He spent months, with the assistance of a photographer, recording almost every square yard of the city, before submitting his plan.
Each archaeological open-air museum is represented with a short story, an exact address and their official website for up to date information.
Note: EXARC Members are marked with a red balloon.
Stichting Erfgoedpark Batavialand
att. EXARC
Postbus 119
8200 AC Lelystad
the Netherlands
Phone: +(31) 6 40263273
Website: EXARC.net
Email: info@exarc.net
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