Engaging Objects: Indigenous communities, museum collections and the representation of Indigenous histories

Professor Howard Morphy, Dr Lissant Bolton (British Museum), Dr John Carty, Dr Maria Nugent, Dr Ian Coates and Dr Michael Pickering (National Museum of Australia). Australian Research Council Linkage Project LP110100623 2011-2015

Engaging Objects is a collaborative research project involving the Australian National University, the British Museum and the National Museum of Australia (NMA). In 2015 the British Museum and the National Museum of Australia are staging two linked exhibitions based on objects drawn from the British Museum’s collection of Australian Indigenous material. This will be the first time most of these objects have been displayed in Australia.

The Engaging Objects project is using the making of the exhibition as an opportunity to explore defining issues of history and museology in Australia.

Our specific aims are:

To examine and document the exhibition-making process, from the perspectives of Indigenous stakeholders Museum staff and researchers.
To provide a critical and cross-cultural perspective on the way museums are working with Indigenous communities
To give opportunities for Indigenous artists and scholars to interrogate and work with the British Museum’s collections.