University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Putting Away the Things of Childhood: Museum Representations of Children’s Cultural Heritage

chapter
posted on 2023-05-22, 19:38 authored by Carla Pascoe LeahyCarla Pascoe Leahy
In popular imagery, childhood is constructed as an age of joyful innocence and carefree play. It is hardly surprising then, that when we think of children’s objects, what springs to mind are toys: those archetypal symbols of childhood. Museum collections and exhibitions relating to the history of children have tended to reflect and perpetuate this trend. And, as the passage from the Corinthians cited above suggests, by focusing on the playful material culture of children, museum representations of childhood have often implied that children’s heritage is less serious and less important than that of adults. We ‘put away’ the things of childhood when we are ready to take on the roles and responsibilities of adults, as full members of society. In ‘putting away’ toys for preservation as representative of children’s lives, museums can in many ways exacerbate this longstanding cultural trend to not take children seriously on their own terms.

History

Publication title

Children, Childhood and Cultural Heritage

Editors

K Darian-Smith and C Pascoe

Pagination

209 - 221

ISBN

9780203080641

Department/School

School of Humanities

Publisher

Routledge

Place of publication

London, UK

Extent

17

Rights statement

Copyright 2013 Routledge

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in history, heritage and archaeology

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC