Immigration Museum and Cultural Diversity in Australia - Essay Example

Running Head: How the Immigration Museum presents the history of cultural diversity in Australia [Name] [Student ID] [Lecturer] [Course] [Date] How does the Immigration Museum present the history of cultural diversity in Australia? Introduction In Australia, cultural multiplicity is celebrated as a national force while museums are the agents through which such diversity is interpreted. Indeed, immigration museums represent and depict the multiplicity of the nation with the view of narrating the histories of migration. Some historians have reached a consensus that it is only in the past 30 years that migration histories began to be given prominence (Henrich, 2013). Such arguments are largely based on the exhibitions, collections and to a greater extent the entire museums, which are dedicated to this endeavour. Basing on these assumptions, this paper examines one such museum. Based on the findings of a field study I carried out at Immigration Museum of Melbourne, I argue that Immigration Museum has presented the cultural diversity in Australia through its exhibitions and narratives that depict the histories of multiculturalism, attitudes towards migrants, tension, exclusion, differences and hope. Just by entering the Immigration Museum of Melbourne, one gets the idea that it was designed to interpret the experiences of immigration of people into Victoria and Australia and to encourage cultural diversity. Situated on the ground floor of the Old Customs House, the five-text panels tell the story as well as offer alluring insights into the history of immigration along with the country’s immigration policies include the Museum Store, Immigration Discovery Centre, Education Centre, the Atrium and the Tribute Garden (Immigration Museum, 2014). Here, Tribute Garden was evidently the most conspicuous establishment. Situated towards the north of the museum, it offers exhibitions and galleries of some 7,000 people who migrated to Australia. The ground floor also has a sequence of locally and imported exhibitions. What I learnt at the ground floor is that amid the diverse languages and ethnic groups currently living in Victoria, rich cultural diversity has already existed even before the arrival of the white settlers. The expected treats and experiences at this level include emotions during the administering of the White Australia Policy, and the immigrant arrival and departure. On the other hand, after observing the galleries and exhibitions at the first floor and second floor of the museum, I perceived that they indicated the prevailing ideas at different times in Australia’s immigration histories (Henrich, 2013). I learnt that the curators the Immigration Museum arrange the galleries in terms of underlying themes during certain times in history. Some of the key themes include “journey of lifetime”, “leaving home”, and “getting in.” Inwardly, I could perceive certain experiences, including journeys and leavings, the experiences of getting in, the experiences of reunions and arrivals and the experiences of settlings and impact. On the second floor is the “Station Pier” exhibitions, which offer a “gateway to new life”. While at this floor, I could perceive that it generally portrayed an evocative symbol of immigration history in Australia, and particularly Victoria. I learnt that Station Pier was intended to tell the story of immigrants who left their homes in England to start a new life in Australia (Immigration Museum, 2014). Going forth the “Leaving Home” gallery, I learnt that it narrates the story of how families migrated to Australia in groups. The conspicuous images I encountered here include those of immigrant families, which were mostly displayed alongside each other. I believe this is to emphasis the experiences that early immigrants went through (Museum Victoria, 2013). Inwardly, I could perceive that the images were intended to create emotive responses such as feelings of excitement mixed with uncertainty, both of which signify the feeling of adventure that the settlers felt. Interesting narrations encountered at this gallery included that of enacting of discriminatory immigration policies, such as the “White Australia Policy”. Advancing further to the “Journeys of lifetime” gallery, it was observable that it showcased the interior of migrant ships. I perceived that the various exhibitions inside the huge boat were intended to depict different time periods. Inwardly, I had the feeling that the ship was intended to evoke a visitor to imagine the experiences that immigrants went through during their transit and throughout their journeys into Australia. I believe that objective is also to trigger visitors to think of themselves as setting out on a journey that could change their lives (Duncan, 1994). At the Customs Gallery, it was evident to me that the theme of “impact’ was intended to be portrayed by a range of artefact objects and stories displayed to show the various contributions made by early and late migrants in constructing infrastructure (Immigration Museum, 2014). Additionally, after surveying the galleries and artefacts displayed at this gallery, I was keen to observe that they told the story of how cultures survived to the present-day Australia. Among the exhibitions include images of customs house. The museum also narrates the story of the Old Custom House, which reflects Australia’s economic growth. The building was among the oldest, largest and most humane buildings in Victoria in the 19th century. The Community access gallery on the other hand offers inclusive approach to visitor interaction. It also allows visitor to exchange personal stories of migration as well as images and other artefacts. I learnt that this is intended to promote community dialogue and cultural integration (Immigration Museum, 2014). The “Getting in” gallery features exhibitions depicting the timelines of immigration into Victoria. I learnt that they are also intended to emphasise the divergent impacts brought by immigrants to Victoria and the Indigenous Australians. Among the expected experiences I went through at this gallery included that of hope and trepidation as well as freedom and captivity (Henrich, 2013). Analysis of the artefacts displayed at the gallery show that the curator intend to narrate the social, political and economic frameworks of Australians in phases. It was also apparent that focus has been on integrating modern day immigrants into the progressive cultural diversity of Australia. I learnt that the objective is to make the modern day migration stories more inclusive and liberal, with the view of identifying those who could not be initially identified with the multiculturalism in the country (Henrich, 2013). On visiting the “Identity: yours, mines and ours”, I observed that more emphasis was being placed on themes of personal identity rather than national identity. The new exhibition seeks to portray how Australians conceive personal identities (Bouchard, 2008). To further illustrate change of national to personal identities, the introduction of new exhibitions, and the change of Impacts” gallery to “Getting in” gallery evidences these. The gallery of “Australian Journey” also shows a shift of “Journeys” to explore ways in which the early immigrants entered and settled in Australia, to more vibrant stories of movement within and outside Australia by tourists, travellers or modern-day immigrants. In defence of the curatorial themes and works at the Immigration Museum, I argue that it is indeed the realisation of the significance of cultural diversity among all immigrants in the nation that the museum initiated “Getting in” to trace the histories of the country and its immigration policies since 1902 when the country was at the peak of creating federations and forming “White Australia Policy” to guard itself from any non-white immigrants. As a result, the museum has largely contributed to a feeling of physical and emotional identity to present day Australians – from the early to late immigrants. Indeed, I noted that more galleries have been initiated to portray Australia as a diverse and progressive society. Such galleries include Fashion Fusion Gallery, which seeks to explore Muslim identity, faith and fashion. I believe inclusion of the gallery is intended to depict how Australian society continues to embrace global cultures and religions practiced by late immigrants (Immigration Museum, n.d). Indeed, the narratives at the gallery reflect the multiplicity of the Moslems and the significance of the religion in their lives. Generally, a museum poses as an agent of change in the contemporary society (Swann, 2011; Evans, 2011). Using this assumption, it is easy to argue that the storyline of “nation of immigrants” as was predominantly portrayed by the museum has started to change, with the curators beginning to give more emphasis on transnational immigration narratives to show the cultural diversity of the country (Warden, 2007). Other such galleries aimed at depicting how Australian society continues to embrace global cultures and religions practiced include Japanese Wishing Tree, which seeks to integrate Japanese cultures into Australia. Conclusion To conclude, Immigration Museum has presented the cultural diversity in Australia through its exhibitions and narratives that depict the histories of multiculturalism, attitudes towards migrants, tension, exclusion, differences and hope. The Immigration Museum’s copious galleries, exhibitions and narratives outline the nation’s immigration histories and significant timelines for as far back as the 1830s. Overall, the underlying themes of the galleries and exhibitions at the museum indicate the prevailing ideas at different times in Australia’s immigration histories that depict diverse cultures. The key themes are ““journey of lifetime”, “leaving home”, “impacts” and “getting in.” Narratives of personal histories of migration are also reflected through the videos, fashion and photography that draw into emotions of how immigrants felt throughout their journeys and their entry and settlement into Australia. References Bouchard, G. (2008). The Making of the Nations and Cultures of the New World: An Essay in Comparative History. Quebec: McGill-Queen's Press Duncan, C. (1994). Interpreting Objects and Collections, in Susan Pearce (ed.) Art Museums and the Ritual of Citizenship. London: Routledge. Evans, T. (2011). ‘‘The Forgotten Australians Remembered’, Review of ‘On Their Own: Britain’s Child Migrants’ at the Australian National Maritime Museum.” History Australia, 8(3), 202–204 Henrich, E. (2013). Museums, History and Migration in Australia. History Compass, 1: 1–18, Immigration Museum. (n.d). Faith Fashion Fusion: Muslim Women’s Style in Australia. Retrieved: Immigration Museum. (2014). Old Customs House - Melbourne. retrieved from Immigration Museum: Hutchison, M. (2009). “Dimensions for a Folding Exhibition: Exhibiting Diversity in Theory and Practice in the Migration Memories Exhibition.” Humanities Research, 15(2), 67–92. Museum Victoria (2013). Leaving Home, Immigration Museum Exhibition, 2007-2017. Retrieved from: Swann, M. (2011). Curiosities and Texts: The Culture of Collecting in Early Modern England. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press Warden, J. (2007). Reinventing the National Museum of Australia. History Australia 8(2), 227-229 Read More