The second move was the creation of a guided route around the museum called “Collecting and Empire,” with plaques that explain how certain items, like a bark shield from Australia, had made their way into the museum. (The plaques stress that most of the items were bought or donated to the museum, not stolen.) “Our task is to elucidate the history of this institution, and the history of every object in it,” Mr. Fischer said about the alterations. The decision to move the bust, which Mr. Fischer first outlined in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, a conservative newspaper, angered some traditionalists. Mr. Fischer said he does not use social media, adding that he was aware of the fuss, and that he stood by the decision.

Source: New York Times August 27, 2020 20:36 UTC