Museums and ‘Difficult Pasts’: Northern Ireland's 1968

Abstract

This article contributes to the debate on the increasingly prominent role of museums in the interpretation of what have become known as ‘difficult histories’. It begins by outlining the impact and legacy of contested history within the context of Northern Ireland before focusing on how and why some museums have come to see their role and purpose, and define their social impact, in relation to the increasingly prevalent practice of confronting uncomfortable heritage. The role of National Museums Northern Ireland and its experiences in interpreting contested history then provides the backdrop for a discussion of its recent collaborative project on the seminal events of 1968. The innovative combination of this venture's methodological and theoretical approach, it is argued, provides potentially valuable lessons for the broader challenge of dealing with the difficult legacy of Northern Ireland's past as part of the ongoing peace process and offers a possible blueprint for others to adapt in their efforts to confront their own ‘difficult histories’.