Between “dead nature” and living culture

natural history museums

Abstract

The natural museums are characterized by their attachment to projects related to scientific collection, research and nature classification. The constitution of modern scientific memory added to the cult requirements to nation identity, by means of empiric objectification, allows that museums develop preservation resources and the exposition of natural and cultural life from ‘still life’. This article deals with the tension between still life and live culture present in the objectification of the constituent empiric which makes part of the museums collections of natural history.