Gezicht op een zaal in het Boulaq Museum in Caïro, Egypte before 1871

This photograph shows a room in the Boulaq Museum in Cairo, taken by Hippolyte Délié, although we don’t have an exact date. Museums, like photography, are products of their time, shaped by the politics and power structures of the era. This image offers a glimpse into how Egyptian artifacts were curated and presented through a colonial lens. As you look closer, consider the ways in which the arrangement of objects, the architecture of the space, and even the act of photographing it, reflect European ideas about Egyptian culture and history. It invites us to consider how museums play a role in shaping our understanding of identity, culture, and heritage. Think about the stories that are told—and those that are left out—when we view artifacts from different cultures through the framework of a museum. How does the museum space itself influence our interpretation of the past?