Mediating historical legacies at museums : the Reframing Picton exhibition at the National Museum Cardiff

Abstract

This thesis investigates how Amgueddfa Cymru critically addresses the contested legacy of Lieutenant Thomas Picton in the Reframing Picton exhibition at the National Museum Cardiff. Situated within the broader context of decolonisation and anti-racism practice, this research explores how curatorial strategies, co-curation, and educational programming challenge the perpetuation of Picton’s military achievement and British colonial glory in the museum space. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research examines how the symbolic authority of the portrait of Thomas Picton at the National Museum Cardiff is disrupted, how co-curation practice shapes the museum’s ability to mediate social tensions, and how historical discomfort is ethically navigated to support transformative learning. The reflexive thematic analysis reveals a complex interplay between institutional and collective memory in shaping historical consciousness and a national reckoning. As the dominant narrative of Picton is challenged, the museum became a contact zone where individuals engaged in affective and intellectual dialogue (Clifford, 1997; Schorch, 2015) to construct a more nuanced understanding of Picton’s colonial legacy and his role in perpetuating imperial violence in Trinidad. By foregrounding these dialogic encounters, this study contributes to the field of museum education and public history by demonstrating how museums can serve as safe spaces for negotiating historical discomfort and fostering reflective engagement. Ultimately, this thesis concludes by posing a critical question: in a world where no historical figure is exempt from their contributions to systemic colonial injustice, what stories do we choose to believe?