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MausBomb t1_j15ae2c wrote

Reply to comment by vitico1 in Germany returns 20 Benin bronzes to Nigeria, noting ‘dark past’ by Fit-Asparagus8557

Pretty much everything on display to the general public is a high-quality replica and not the actual piece. Museums keep that shit in secure storage only accessible by researchers with permission.

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EnvironmentalValue18 t1_j15cj8a wrote

Well, they do have a lot of replicas but it depends on how susceptible the object is to degradation and how well they can sustain an environment where that is mitigated. To expound on your point, dinosaur bones are basically all replicas, as you say. Many paintings and several sculptures are indeed originals, however.

There are protective measures in place such as many being taken down and stored overnight, protective glasses to prevent sun damage and finger oils, humidity/moisture control, etc.

A famous case of vandalism was when a visitor took a hammer to the toes of the original David statue by Michaelangelo (di Buonarotti). They’ve been restored as much as is possible, but it was the original that was damaged and is still on view (as is the famous replica statue in his home state, which, as far as I know, has not been vandalized).

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reconrose t1_j1613s8 wrote

Yeah "pretty much everything" is a massive overstatement lol

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[deleted] t1_j17maby wrote

It applies only to dinosaur bones, honestly. I think the dinosaur skeletons displayed in museums are all from castings, and not the actual bones that were dug out of the ground. It definitely does not apply to art pieces, unless it's a small/poor museum which can only get prints or studio replicas, it's clearly labeled as a replica.

Or, some statues exist only as castings, and are all technically 'replicas' and the original was destroyed as part of the casting process.

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