EUROPEAN MILITARY

10

MUSEUMS

perhaps one finds a closer balance of the four museum functions

than appears to be achieved anywhere else in Europe.

The Musee

de

l'Armee in Paris places about equal emphasis

upon the custodial and commemorative functions. It possesses

an extensive and excellent collection of swords, armor, and guns,

which cover the full range of French Army history and displays
them in large quantities in a series of topical halls. However, the
museum's principal attraction is its large collection of Napoleonic
relics, and in a very real sense the museum is a memorial to
Napoleon Bonaparte, the most celebrated of all French military
heroes. Indeed, it would be most difficult for the museum to avoid
concentrating on the Emperor's career, for the Musee de l'Armee
is located at the Hotel des Invalides, the site of Napoleon's tomb.
The three largest naval museums in Europe appear to have
borrowed heavily from one another both in objectives and methods
of display. The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich,
England, the Musee de la Marine in Paris, and the National
Maritime (Sjohistoriska) Museum in Stockholm announce a
similar purpose in their brochures. They all exist to commemorate
the exploits of their country's sea power and to provide the
student with some comprehensive coverage of the nation's naval
history. Each also provides extensive exhibits on the merchant
navy, fishing fleet, and pleasure craft. Each emphasizes the
chronological evolution of naval power and limits its auxiliary
research program to the objects on display and a few special
projects which absorb the interests of individual staff members

during their spare time. The similarity of their exhibits is striking.

Because each museum has a large collection of excellent ship
models, the interest of the viewer is held for a lengthy period.
The museum staffs also appear to have recognized the value of
entertaining the visitor through the use of extremely attractive
display techniques. Each museum is very impressive and leaves

favorable impact upon the visitor. By thus stimulating the viewer's

interest, these museums achieve in part their stated objectives.

The very excellent Army Museum in Stockholm follows a

pattern similar to these three naval museums in its presentation
of the sweep of Swedish Army history. However, its research
program is much stronger, largely owing to the leadership of the