Museums and biographies both tell the stories of lives. This innovative collection examines for the first time biography - of individuals, objects and institutions - in relationship to the museum, casting new light on the many facets of museum history and theory, from the lives of prominent curators, to the context of museums of biography and autobiography. Separate sections cover individual biography and museum history, problematising individual biographies, institutional biographies, obj...

This book provides an original, impassioned exploration of memory studies and the uses of the past in the present. It capitalises on London’s global appeal and Big Ben’s iconic status. Moving beyond this familiar facade the reader will journey around the hidden histories of Westminster’s streets, squares and statues. This tangible heritage supports a diversity of contested memories. The rationale for this approach is that, by linking theory with empirical examples, it becomes possible to t...