في دائرة الضوء
Peninsula reveals connections between its tombs, monuments, and rock art and those in southern Iberia and the Sahara. This suggests that local communities participated in exchange networks that spanned practices and symbols across Africa and Europe.
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An artifact loses much of its scholarly value when removed from its original archaeological layer and site.
Rewriting history in museums begins with preserving the context of archaeological objects. An artifact loses much of its scholarly value when removed from its original archaeological layer and site. Therefore, museum labels should go beyond merely noting an object’ s date and material; they should also describe its discovery location, purpose, and importance as a source of knowledge. Scientific methods used in archaeological analysis— such as radiocarbon dating, magnetostratigraphy, geographic surveying, and the study of human, animal, and plant remains— should also be explained in simple language. This helps visitors see how archaeologists build knowledge. It shows that history is continually evolving: new dating methods can shift the estimated age of human remains by hundreds of thousands of years. These updates demonstrate that revising history is a normal part of scientific progress, not a rejection of previous knowledge. Museums can also address colonial narratives that, by emphasizing the Phoenician and Roman eras, overlooked local communities. Recent studies show that local populations were engaged in agriculture, established permanent settlements, developed production methods and funerary practices, and participated in trade networks even before external influences arrived. Morocco’ s history should be viewed as the result of dynamic interactions between local communities and their African, Saharan, and Mediterranean environments. Emphasizing local agency does not dismiss external influences; instead, it situates them in a balanced context, illustrating how local populations adopted certain technologies and practices and adapted them to their cultural and social systems.
To keep pace with these developments, museums can showcase findings from recent excavations through temporary exhibitions, interactive maps, and digital content. Continuous collaboration with research institutions allows museums to turn scholarly work into accessible museum experiences. This approach transforms the museum into an institution that creates meaning, with history being continuously rewritten to enhance the accuracy and openness of collective memory.
Abdelaziz El Idrissi is a Moroccan museum director and curator. He led the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat from its opening in 2014 until 2025, and now heads the Department of Museums at the National Foundation of Museums.
Azilal Museum, Azilal © National Foundation of Museums of Morocco
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