La period room mise en scène

Abstract

Through the case study of “A French Salon c. 1750–1760” (Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto) this article analyses the methodological and epistemological implications embedded in the process of (re) constructing, interpreting, and mediating historical narratives by the means of the period room. It examines how “story effects” are created and how the museum environment impacts their value as tools for the construction and dissemination of knowledge. This study elucidates the ambiguity of the relationship between history and fiction in the context of the construction of knowledge and encourages recognition of the heuristic potential of their conjunction in order to envision the role that can be played by the period room in today’s museum.