The International Slavery Museum
by Robert Tombs
Museums are an important means of historical education. The International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, visited by large numbers of school children, is among the most important given our current historical reflections. How has it been performing its task since it opened in 2007? In my opinion, it presents a very partial and even misleading account to its visitors for the reasons examined below.
I welcome the fact that the present museum is to be redeveloped and expanded. Given the prominence of slavery in our present national conversation, the importance of this project is enormous, and Liverpool is the ideal place for a fitting memorial that will be at the same time an educational institution of the highest importance. The present museum in my opinion fails seriously in its function of education. I hope this will be avoided in the new museum, which is why I am publishing this note.
To continue reading, please, turn to the History Reclaimed-website, January 8, 2023.