How Did The South Berkshire Museum Influence The Formation Of American Museums

The South Kensington Museum had not only profoundly influenced the concept formation of American museums that emphasized on social and educational functions, but also contributed in the formation of art educational program of Boston and Massachusetts that tried to connect art and industry. In fact, the South Kensington Museum had a significant impact to many founders of a museum of the United States in the 19th century. Par exemple, the Metropolitan Museum mentioned that the South Kensington Museum is the embodiments that American museums need to be followed. Moreover, Charles P. Taft presented the South Kensington Museum as the model of American museum while delivering the lecture in Cincinnati about the museum’s role in a democratic society

Their form was the Cabinet of Curiosities and they were not allowed for the public to appreciate their collection. However, since the early 1780s until the early 1800's, American museums were established by the upper class for the spiritual growth of citizens. They wanted to utilize ‘Education’ by a means of control of the working class in pursuing their own benefits and ideals, and they tried to employ them as an institute to educate the virtues that society requires. Thus, they offered and supported the exhibition or collecting of the museum, the operation of program, and the education about the nature of art and the natural history. Although, the ruling class mostly utilized the museum for their conveniences, it is still notable that American Museum focused on educational functions of the museum from the beginning and worked as the role of alternative educational institutes, the social educational institutes, which they actively employed for civic education. It can be considered as a result of reflecting the fundamental philosophy of American Community, which is through education cultivate Intellectual and moral part of citizens - social order and civil duty - to promote democracy that contribute to the social development (Orosz,

According to Joel J. Orosz (1990), the American museums prior to the year 1870 was trying hard to have their own identity by following the example of the European museum culture. Which means, it was very hard for them to possess the unique identity of the American museums as they changed their focus from on an education part during certain period until 1870s and to on professionalization in the next period, depending on changes in social environment. However, the American museum defined as the one educational institution that harmonizes the ‘popular education’ and ‘professionalization’ which claims to advocate ‘the American Compromise’ by the 1870s, and they were able to finally possess their own identity of the American Museum. The Smithsonian also moved with the trend as they established the historical museum and art museum (Levi,