THE  SEAT  OF  THE  MUSES   Art            Science            History Cpyright 2007, by James Gehrt. All rights are reserved.

The Ancient Greeks defined the word Mouseion as “seat of the Muses.” The English word museum, first used in the seventeenth century, derives from this origin. The Muses were the goddesses of the fine arts and sciences, the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. The Mouseion was a sacred temple dedicated to the Muses, repositories for gifts and offerings.

Throughout history, people have collected and preserved items from their past. We are inspired to showcase our rites and rituals for future generations. The museum allows us, once we step inside, to see firsthand our triumphant moments, as well as our shameful mistakes. We stand in the presence of our creative endeavors and witness the discoveries of our world and beyond.   Similarly, the book allows us to share ourselves with others. It is a portable museum filled with images and stories about our lives and the world around us. The book and the museum give proof to what we have discovered, invented, and created.

The museum now becomes the muse, by inviting the viewer to look beyond its glass cases. The building’s features and details become part of its own collection. The banal standing next to the sublime calls for attention. For instance, outdated displays tell of the museum’s own history. Renovation takes hold and new, clean, modern displays take their place. Staircases wind through vast openings while drinking fountains hum. Radiators clang as viewers peer at precious gemstones.   Light and shadow allow the visitor to view the collection under ideal conditions. Objects that once were found in stranger locations are now displayed with the utmost attention and care. At one time the object’s surrounding climate was in the hands of Nature. Now glass enclosures and dimmed lights protect the object from both visitor and environment.

The museum has inspired its own image to be captured and interpreted. The laws of inherent design are dismissed and its presence is flattened and compressed into the pages of a book.   The seat of the Muses is above the doorway to the museum.   James Gehrt April 17, 2007