A period room is a display that represents the
interior design
Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordina ...
and
decorative art of a particular historical social setting usually in a
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
. Though it may incorporate elements of an individual real room that once existed somewhere, it is usually by its nature a composite and fictional piece. Period rooms at
encyclopedic museum
Encyclopedic museums are large, mostly national, institutions that offer visitors an abundance of information on a variety of subjects that tell both local and global stories. The aim of encyclopedic museums is to provide examples of each classifi ...
s may represent different countries and cultures, while those at
historic house
A historic house generally meets several criteria before being listed by an official body as "historic." Generally the building is at least a certain age, depending on the rules for the individual list. A second factor is that the building be in ...
s may represent different eras of the same structure. As with the glamorization of luxury in
costume drama
A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romances, adventure films, and swa ...
, this can be considered as a conservative genre that traditionally privileges Eurocentric elite views.
In the 21st century, the focus has shifted toward using period rooms in new ways or in diversifying them.
References
External links
*{{ccat-inline, Period rooms
Decorative arts
Heritage interpretation
Interior design
Museology
Period pieces
Relocated buildings and structures
Rooms