How would you feel about being displayed in a museum?

[Hotandpointy]

I visited a museum the other day and was reading about what archaeologists learned from examining a Viking skeleton, very interesting. It made me think about something I read recently claiming that having skeletons or mummies on display shouldn’t be allowed because it’s “disrespectful” and “they didn’t consent”.
Personally, I’m fine with it, I quite like the idea of people in a thousand years or so being fascinated to look at my bones, it’s not like I’ll need them!
Just curious to get other opinions.

I think it’s all about respecting different people’s beliefs and cultures. Presumably you don’t mind as an atheist, because you see that your body has no use post death. Whereas someone else might wish to be buried or cremated or other according to their beliefs of the afterlife and what you need to do to be at peace post death. The question is when does someone’s belief cease to matter?

We wouldn’t dream of saying to someone now, you don’t need to be buried in a consecrated church yard- we see that as their choice. 5 years after the event does their choice not matter? 10 years? 100 years?

I’d prefer it to all of the alternatives

If you think it should remain sacred 1000 or more years later, then it seems odd you are happy we can "learn what we can from the remains and then put them back".

There are, of course bodies that weren't buried in a religious ceremony, but covered by lava and ash for example.

I'd like my bones to go to an ossuary, but don't know if anyone's making one these days.

I'd not thought of that.

You've put me right off. I don't fancy being studied in such detail

As long as I'm dead, I don't mind.

I am going to be cremated so needn't worry about it. I do think once a body has been laid to rest they should be undisturbed.

This is one reason I want to be cremated.

I remember visiting the Bodyworlds exhibition in London when it first opened in 2002 - absolutely fascinating! Don’t think I’d mind at all, as long as not easily recognisable.

I think you’re completely ignoring the colonial element of this — dig up/acquire some ‘othered’ remains from some other part of the world and bring home your spoils for your private collection or to donate to a museum, like the shrunken heads in the Pitt Rivers (no longer on display)?

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-54121151

It’s not only about bodily autonomy of people’s feelings, it’s distastefully treating human remains like colonial souvenirs.

Or, in some cases, raw material for eugenic theories about ‘savage’ or ‘inferior races’.

https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/research/spotlight-research/head-hunter-who-measured-irishmens-skulls

I’d be quite happy to be in a museum. I’ve got no use for my body once I’m dead so have at it. The only thing I find sad is the specimens in anatomy museums where you know these weren’t willing specimens but that’s part of anatomy’s gruesome past and it’s interesting to learn from it.

This. Ridiculous worrying about the dead. 🙄

I think that is different, albeit important, conversation and much broader than bodies.

I plan to be cremated and scattered in the North sea, however, I wouldn't be bothered if for some reason my body was used for educational purposes.

But the OP referenced human remains displayed in museums.

There was an interview with Tony Robinson the other day and he commented that death and how we deal with bodies have changed over the years.

Personally I think it depends on how its done. I once went to museum that had a mummy that was a child, they had put colouring sheets next to it and found it all abit weird.

Yes me too! I think if my kids aren’t too freaked out by the idea (they’ll be grieving, I’ll be gone so their feelings trump mine), then I’d 100% donate my body to medical science/research.

But as for the original question? Yeah, I’d love that. Being immortalised in a museum? My ego is asking how I actually make this happen? 😂

I admire beautiful Egyptian art but I believe it to be wrong to exhibit mummies unwrapped. King Tut is back in his grave and rightly so.
I've no desire to look at his Mum, aunt or dad in the new Cairo museum. Sadly they can't return the grave goods as they'd get stolen. I wouldn't go into a pyramid either but then I don't like basements. I'm also superstitious.
They can have every donation from me and then I'm off to my jar.

I'm fine with it too. I'd be quite cheered up to think that I'd be nice and warm in a museum case with lots of interested people coming to look at me!

Better than the cold, cold clay and oblivion.

That’s a completely different thing. Your body is being used to teach medical/ dental students, and at the end of the year, it’s handed back to your family for burial/cremation. It’s not kept on public display.

I have many discussions about this. I thought it was particularly interesting that when Richard III was found he got a full royal burial, not displayed in a museum. But many Mummies and other bodies are displayed for all to see. Why is the apparent religion/status/burial practice of Richard III so much more important . Donating yourself fine, everyone else, leave them where they are. Perhaps record and catalogue for history but don't put them in a box.

I'm actively aiming for it. I'm going to be buried and my kids are going to put loads of interesting grave goods in with me to puzzle future archiologists.

Unfortunately it's really hard to arrange donating your body for research. Most people who want it (I'm one) won't get their wish. The logistics are complex and most corpses aren't wanted.

I would prefer this. I didn’t look into donating for bodyworks.