Historical Empathy and Museum Culture

The Centenary of World War I (WWI) between 2014 and 2018 attracted international attention. Many Australians travel to key battle sites in mainland Europe, especially Turkey, France, and Belgium to connect with the experiences of Australian soldiers and nurses who served in this war. As no conflict occurred within Australian borders, sites make for popular tourist destinations. Museums and other cultural sites along The Remembrance Trail provide educational tours and experiences to a range of visitors, including private tour groups, individual tourists, school and university groups. Through the exhibition and accompanying guided tours, participants of a university elective study tour developed their historical understanding of WWI, with a specific focus on the Western Front in France and Belgium. Focus group interviews took place after visits to key museums to gauge students’ reflections to their learning, including any affective connections to particular historical narratives and experiences as presented in these cultural sites. This article will discuss the participating tertiary students’ development of historical empathy through visits to museums.