Museums and identities: an anthropological study of visiting a museum

Museums are influential means of creating and conveying meanings. They can affect the presumptions that underlie the ethnic prejudices. Falak-ol- aflāk museum is dedicated to the history and culture of the lak and lor ethnic of Iran. The study used the notes on the museum's visitor book and applied a qualitative data analysis on them. Furthermore, participant observation and interviews were used for gathering more information. The experience of visiting museums influences the visitors’ perception of their identity on ethnic and national levels. The results show the visitors’ impressions of ethnic and national identity. Local people feel proud of their culture and identity by seeing their ancestors’ culture and knowledge. Visitors from other parts of the country stated that they gained a new insight towards lak and lor ethnic that made them feel proud of the history and identity of lorestan as a part of their national identity. The results also show a gender-based difference regarding the visitor's understanding of the status of the sexes.