Recently according to number of museum increased, interest in quality of museum was
aroused. So there were various discussions about this. But problem in operation of museum was
found due to varied culture and leisure means to replace museum etc. In the situation, the study
thinks changing role of museum by emphasizing meaning for social role which is basic function
of museum again.
Discussion about social role of museum should give focus on not only meeting changing
needs of modern people but also methods to add ‘value’. For this, the study emphasizes
‘cultural landscapes’. Cultural landscapes include meaning of the past composed by connecting
between objects with value and a certain place. However, museum can play a role to reproduce
layer of the past in the ‘present context’ and draw a meaning from them, going beyond showing
layer of the past as it is.
For developing such content, the author suggested JEONGOK prehistory museum as a
example. JEONGOK prehistory museum expanded domain of inside of museum to outside of
museum, connecting cultural landscapes of remains of Old stone age surrounding Acheulean
handaxe to museum.
Thus, connecting between cultural landscapes surrounding collection in a museum and
placeness makes it possible for audience to draw layer of the past in present context. Through
such discussion, the study intended to suggest sustainable social role of museum to carry out
central function of embodiment of creativity so that audience can think of cultural relics in a
new context going beyond simply learning knowledge.