Windsor, not just a royal home

   Saturday we went to Windsor Castle.
   It was absolutely beautiful, the surrounding gardens were immaculate, and over 900 years of history stood proudly on display.

In our Mississippi State seminar under Dr. Ben Harvey, we are discussing collecting. We have covered personal collecting and the study of museum collection, as well the history of collections and philosophy behind objects on display. One aspect of Windsor Castle that struck me was how it functioned as a museum in many aspects, and should be approached in certain ways with that in mind.

    Unfortunately, the Castle does not allow pictures inside any of the rooms. However, I am including a great video from the Royal Collection Trust on Windsor Castle which is definitely worth the three minutes as it includes some wonderful interior footage to give a sense of the lavish splendor of the palace.

    But I want to describe some of the areas to give a better glimpse of why Windsor Castle has very museum-like qualities.

    Firstly, it is a literal treasure-house—not only of gold, silver, and jewels—but of Rembrandt and Rubens, of crowns from Ethiopia, and beautifully ornate carvings of wood or stone at every turn. But it can’t be denied that a good bit of that treasure has a gold component: such as this nautilus cup. It caught my attention in a display case contained in the circular memorial at the end of St. George’s Hall.

   Secondly, it contains a vast amount of history. As I said at the beginning, Windsor contains over 900 years of history. The first King of England to inhabit it was Henry the First—he married there in 1121. Each king after him continued to build up the castle after their own styles, and Edward the Third began the Royal Order of the Garter (which I find intriguing) during his reign of 1327-77. To this day, the Royal Order of the Garter conducts all ceremonies at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. It was a large component of the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell setting up headquarters there and using it as a prison for royalists. Queen Victoria spent a large amount of time at Windsor, as revealed by the number of statues and paintings in her honor not only in the Castle but also in the town below. During the World War II, the King and Queen sent their children, Princesses Elizabeth (presently Queen) and Margaret to live at Windsor in greater safety. Each inhabitant contributed to the history that Windsor now contains. Kings and Queens collected objects of value and explorers brought back treasures from abroad to add to the royal collection.

     Lastly, (and this I feel is the greatest argument in my opinion for Windsor being a museum in many ways) the heads of the Royal Collection Trust in charge of the way Windsor is presented to the public have created a very museum-like feeling. I do not esteem this to be a negative. Obviously it is still functioning as a royal residence—a living museum, perhaps?

   But in laying a museum collection and a Windsor Castle display side-by-side, there is little technical difference. Like many great houses, galleries, or museums, Windsor arms each visitor with a headset and posts channel numbers for each room or object to learn more. I found these highly informative, but it linked my Windsor experience with other museum-like explorations, furthering my impression of Windsor functioning as a museum.

   The Royal Collection Trust is very knowledgeable and careful in how they present Windsor Castle to the public, and I believe they did an excellent job in my visit this weekend. By incorporating museum display strategies and exhibits, each room was understood and the objects fully appreciated.

We have learned in our seminar class that museums have very thoughtfully planned out systems of organization, and in this Windsor was phenomenal. When each room could be as much as 900 years old, a lot of uses, designs, and events may be contained in that one space. Windsor created a unified feeling while highlighting changes over the years, so that a true understanding might be gained. However, they have made a conscious decision to emphasize the “palace” side of Windsor, with very little (if any) of the tour relating to the original reason for Windsor: defense. In focusing on the “palace” aspect, Windsor was able to showcase its glories and treasures, presenting the Castle in a unified way to visitors. The valuable objects, the astounding history, and the presentation of Windsor has all the hallmarks of a world-class museum.

It was absolutely beautiful and I certainly enjoyed my time there!