Museum After Dark: a Halloween special

Museums as mediums: how can the dead tell their own stories? 

It is often said that museums bring the past to life. Every object holds a story, and behind each story was once a living creator, owner, or user. While the dead can no longer tell stories about their possessions in real time, archaeologists, historians and museum experts act as mediums to discover the ways humans and objects are mutually constructed in both the past and present. How do we hear the voices of the owners of these artefacts, and let the dead tell their own stories?  

This Halloween, join us at a new event in the Arts After Dark series as we peer beyond the veil to explore the possibilities of bringing the stories of the dead to life via the objects they once owned. In a special keynote address, bioarchaeologist Professor Ronika Power will explore the concept of museums as places for the stories of the dead – and what this means for us as the living. Following her address, Ronika will join a panel of leading academics to investigate the fascinating intersections of death, memory and museums.  

When

Location

Macquarie University History Museum, 25C Wally’s Walk, Macquarie University Wallamattagal Campus, Macquarie University, 2109, View Map