Museum curation and public transformation of archaeological findings: taking the exhibition of Neolithic sites as an example

Yun  Zhang

doi:10.54691/44wmms13

Authors

Yun Zhang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/44wmms13

Keywords:

Neolithic Sites; Museum Curation; Archaeological Findings; Public Transformation; Exhibition Innovation.

Abstract

Neolithic sites are key material remains of the origin of Chinese civilization, and the public dissemination of their archaeological findings is an important path to activate early civilization and strengthen cultural identity. As the core platform for disseminating archaeological findings to the public, museums' curatorial concepts and implementation methods directly determine the efficiency of the transformation of archaeological findings. This article takes the exhibition of Neolithic sites as the research object, by drawing on the curatorial practices of Liangzhu Museum and Xi'an Banpo Museum and relying on The Third National Census of Cultural Relics data and official museum public information, systematically analyzes the diverse value of public transformation of archaeological findings, and explains the core function of museum curation in the public transformation of such findings. Research has found that, as noted by McDowall (2023), current Neolithic site exhibitions present practical problems including rigid forms, lagging public transformation, insufficient popular science interpretation, and uneven regional development. On this basis, this article proposes optimization paths such as innovative exhibition forms, rapid transformation of archaeological findings, optimization of popular science interpretation, and regional resource coordination, which can provide feasible references for the popularization and dissemination of archaeological findings in the Neolithic Age and the inheritance and popularization of early Chinese civilization.

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