Curation, morphology and encounter: the Jordanian Royal Tank Museum (RTM)

Abstract

This research traces the architectural spatial and curatorial intentions of (RTM) in Jordan, focusing on the arrangement of the displays and the morphology of the layout as pedagogical tools for unfolding the narrative. A case study approach was taken, with three modes of inspection: (1) a survey documenting RTM’s interiority and spatial organisation; (2) a syntactic-analytic-layer to examine how the museum’s permeability and visibility structures control visitors’ experiences; (3) an ethnographic-analytic-layer, with observations and interviews to document visitors’ exploratory behaviours. The museum employs a combination of architectural and internal semiotic settings. In some instances, strictly defined sequences of movement and visual frames impose a chronological-historical message. In others, RTM privileges well-defined sequences of exploration along less intricate subdivisions to confront visitors with choreographed thematic displays of contemporary and international messages. This study proposes a new methodology for investigating tank museums, situating the traditional ethnographic approach inside a broader morphological-syntactical alternative.

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