SUMMARY
For my Capstone 1 project, I focused on decolonizing museums, specifically The Met. My interest began after reading Pachinko, a novel about a Korean family navigating Japan’s colonial rule over Korea. As my family is Korean, I learned more about forced cultural assimilation. These impacts linger today, including strained relations and comfort women’s trauma. I researched museums like The Met, that continue to hold onto objects acquired unethically. The Met has returned pieces to Cambodia but still retains some tied to looting. Restitution is vital because it restores agency and addresses the lasting scars of colonialism.
challenge
Through interviews, I found that many view museums retaining these objects as painful reminders of colonialism, war, and defeat, and noted this topic is often absent in curatorial studies. A curator raised an interesting counterargument: if all artifacts are returned, will people lose the chance to see them? However, many are already far removed from their culturally significant artifacts, as they are often housed in museums abroad, inaccessible due to travel costs. It feels hypocritical to expect people to travel to Western countries to see artifacts that rightfully belong in their home nations.
Outcome
After a professor suggested I visit The Met to see the two statues and examine their pamphlets, I noticed they use specific language and many are geared towards children. Inspired, I created my own guide using The Met's typography and style to educate children (and adults) about restitution, the importance of returning artifacts, and acknowledging their origins. As an act of protest, I planned to distribute these guides for free outside The Met and discreetly place them at the front desk. This aimed to educate children, shift how people engage with museums, and address gaps in museum education.
