How Burmese and Thai communities are recontextualizing sacred objects at the British Museum
In short: The British Museum invited community members from Burma and Thailand to engage with the exhibition Pilgrims, Healers and Wizards. This video explores how these visitors shared their personal connections to sacred objects that remain active components of their living religious traditions today.
Curator Alexandra Green led this initiative to bridge the gap between museum curation and contemporary practice. By bringing community members behind the scenes, the museum sought to understand the ongoing significance of items that are often viewed as historical artifacts but function as living tools for pilgrims, healers, and wizards in their home countries.
The project highlights the tension between preservation and utility, emphasizing that many objects in the collection are not merely relics of the past but are still in active use. This collaboration provides a rare perspective on how religious identity and practice continue to shape the interpretation of museum holdings.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: At the British Museum: Living religion in Burma and Thailand
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