Reflection on the British Museum: The Unknown Familiarity
On January 9, 2024, I visited the British Museum in the United Kingdom. It was a part of my first trip to Europe, a winter vacation to the UK that also included Paris and Switzerland. Having grown up in Asia and attended school in the US, I have never traveled to the west side of the world. Therefore, this winter trip marks a significant milestone for me.
In the past, I lacked interest in museums and often regarded cultural heritage as empty artifacts that existed simply in textbooks. However, seeing the architecture and sculptures in person, I was astounded by the incredible craftsmanship and intricate details built by people who lived thousands of years ago. I was instantly struck, as I entered the Ancient Greece exhibit, by how many of the scenes and remnants reminded me of Assassin’s Creed, a video game I had played in years past. I was deeply affected by the game’s 3D simulation of the ancient Greek and Egyptian landscapes and architecture, which made me feel so present as though I were actually a part of the virtual world. Immediately, I was drawn to the historical artifacts in front of me and got increasingly curious about ancient culture during the tour.
Throughout this tour, I learned that many top companies use ancient human culture to build their brand identities. For example, the athletic goods company Nike is named after the Greek goddess of victory, and the Starbucks logo is inspired by Greek mythology. This incorporation of ancient cultures into modern brand creation illustrates how two seemingly unrelated concepts can be merged to produce something novel.
In my opinion, this interaction between video games and ancient cultures encourages me to seek out the ways in which stepping outside of one’s comfort zone can ignite a cultural spark and lead to the discovery of previously undetected topics. This artistic experience amazed and inspired me with the possibilities for leveraging ancient history to drive innovation. In my future creative practices, I should broaden the scope of my research, and what appears to be an odd combination may actually result in an explosion of innovation.
