Visiting rites


Ever the cultural anthropologist, Dalrymple discovers a new source of clues about modern thought:


It seems to me that exhibition visitors’ books are a neglected source of information about contemporary culture and human psychology. There is a little French book on visitors’ comments at Auschwitz, but I know of no other. I became interested in visitors’ comments when I noticed what someone had written in the book at Freud’s house in Maresfield Gardens: ‘I am glad he was not my father.’

Dalrymple toured the Rijksmuseum branch at Schipol airport in Amsterdam, and he reproduces many of the comments in the visitors book there. They range from the charming…


Although I am 10 years old, I appreciate the museum and was attractive to it. Really I like it.

…to the bizarre.


Girl don’t play with my fine art! Ain’t gonna put no dance Club or nothin, but as museum? bid please! – Ya heard.

Read the whole piece here (h/t David)

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