Andrea arrives: Senior Fellow 2018

Andrea Terron (ITP 2017, Guatemala, Senior Fellow 2018), Professor, Department of Social Sciences and Anthropology at Del Valle Univeristy, Guatemala City

I arrived on Sunday at Heathrow airport with a feeling of calmness; I knew where I was going and who I was going to meet.  On the way into the City, I was talking with the cab driver and discussing the world cup, and how many countries are giving their best and how many will be going home. In the end, we decided what is interesting about this event is the effort each country makes to be the best, to stay strong and learn from other players and countries.

I think we all are coming to the ITP with the same feeling, wanting to learn from all the departments and specialists at the British Museum, UK partners and each other; who all come from different corners of the world but have the same purpose: to be a part of a major institution and network.

I came on Monday and went through security check, and suddenly I realized how happy I was, walking through these gates again. My first stop was The Enlightenment Room, as it is explained on the web page; “The Enlightenment was an age of reason and learning that flourished across Europe and America from about 1680 to 1820. This rich and diverse permanent exhibition uses thousands of objects to demonstrate how people in Britain understood their world during this period. Objects on display reveal the way in which collectors, antiquaries and travellers during this great age of discovery viewed and classified objects from the world around them. The displays provide an introduction to the Museum and its collections, showing how our understanding of the world of nature and human achievement has changed over time.”

This is my favourite room, you will see when you get here. It is overwhelming and big, but each time you walk by it, you discover something different and important, you understand just by standing in the middle the importance of museums, of collecting and the relevance of all the people that work in these institutions.

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Enlightenment Gallery, British Museum

I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica Juckes (ITP Assistant) and I was so glad to see Rebecca Horton (ITP Coordinator) and Claire Messenger (ITP Manager) again; they were a rock throughout the whole programme and guided us through everything. I got a wonderful tour of the Ancient Egypt and Sudan Department, going through many doors and passages, you will see, is tricky but it is great walking around this halls. My memory is not so good, but I started to recognize staff members at the museum. I also met with Claudia Zehrt (Project Curator: Google Maya Project, Africa Oceania and the Americas), Kate Jarvis (Project Curator: Google Maya Project, Africa Oceania and the Americas) and Jago Cooper (Curator of the Americas).

What I can see from the ITP 2018 is new subjects and activities and new partner museums. I think that we will learn a lot from the summer programme experience and grow together inside this network.

Great Court, British Museum

Great Court, British Museum