Lost in translation : home to historic house museum

Abstract

A historic house transformed into a historic house museum, undergoes significant alterations in its programme, ranging from the occasional access to public visits to the complete loss of its residential function. Phenomenological studies on places of dwelling suggest that, the experienced house, in contrast to the inhabited or newly built house, is imbued with meaning and memories and thus, has a value which is intrinsically linked to the experience of its residents. Applying this theory to the transformation of historic houses, this dissertation sets aside all other values, (related to the architectural style, the legacy of past residents or the provenance of artefacts), to consider the way the value of home may be lost or maintained in the transformation of these houses into inhabited historic house museums. Home, in this context, refers to the experienced house. Being a largely subjective and unique construct, the transmission of the value of home depends on its ability to renew itself with every new generation. Hence, three examples of inhabited house museums were analyzed through interviews, with the current residents and stewards of the house. The study looks at Casa Bernard, a 16th century noble Palazzo situated in Rabat, Malta, the Carmelite Priory in Mdina, which distinguishes itself as the only priory in Malta open to visitors and the Château de Germolles in Burgundy, France, which was transformed into a royal residence during the 14th century. The dwelling experience for each case was evaluated against a set of conditions which allow for this renewal. Through an investigation of what may be lost, the results reveal also, that which has been retained. Indeed, the presence of the current residents enabled some elements to be strengthened, thus pointing towards the relevance of retaining the residential function within the reuse strategy. Furthermore, a discussion of the results explores different ways in which the debate on the authenticity of historic house museums may be addressed. Finally, the case studies illustrate the way a living heritage approach may be adopted in the transformation of the historic house, towards a perspective that promotes continuity, change and complexity.