Historical Mind Museums

Everyone should have a museum of memories and stories at least in their head. But we aren't allowed to make physical museums of ourselves, because it would be at least perceived as being arrogant. No museum has been made by the most qualified person to do the job. For example, Abraham Lincoln never got to see how his life would be presented. We're probably leaving out parts that are extremely significant to understanding him. Autobiographies are the only socially acceptable presentation of a plain explanation of self...and even those are full of disguises.

Could the jumble of stuff we stick in our attics, garages, or storehouses be an expression of the personal museum? Aren't sentimental objects kept because of the story? Museums are attics of sentimental objects on a national, or at least more wide spread level. All we need for a personal, physical museum is a bit of organization. It would be interesting if a thing like that became popular, everyone visiting everyone else's museums.

On the down side, sharing your own museum like that is way too vulnerable. Just like in speech, you would have to have levels of openness, doors that only special keys can unlock, some doors that can only be opened by you. Of course the exhibit would rotate as you matured, some becoming more prominent, some only notable for being prominent at one time, some coming out of storage, shy and blinking in the sun, as other people view them for the first time, some hustled into the back, secret rooms with heavy cloaks concealing their features.

I suppose the opening exhibits wouldn't be much different from the opening conversations you have with visitors over the dinner table. Emily Tate, born 1989 to wealthy parents in Dublin, Ireland; went on to pursue career in cooking while at Dublin University for the Blind. Married John Holmes after graduating in 2012, had two children, Adam and Jessica Holmes. Basic opening stuff, not even worth the organization needed to create the exhibit. Is a visit to someone's house close enough to a museum visit to warrant making rooms of information about yourself? All the internal nervousness that comes with explaining yourself to a visitor would become external.

You would watch your visitors inspect your memories. No longer having to explain them out loud, you would feel awkward, apologetic, wondering if the close inspection your exhibit on learning how to make brownies from your mom was warranting was purely politeness. "And this next exhibit," you might suggest, "is significant, because it marked the turning point between following my mom's instructions, and making my own recipes." A low, short table, plastic and childish, something you found in your parents' basement, squats on the floor, a plate of warm brownies inviting your visitor to taste the result of your experimental cooking. You're pretty sure your visitor's resulting excitement is genuine.

I suppose the initial public accusation that such a museum would be arrogant is partially true. If you can make a museum of your life, while maintaing confidence in the excellence of your exhibits, it shows a great deal of naivety and pride. Very few people will want to or even be allowed to view all the important artifacts and stories of your life. But all the same, there's no harm in organizing the attic.