On my bookshelf: The Museum Book, by Jan Mark

I wish I’d written The Museum Book. It is scholarly and playful, as well as beautifully written and illustrated. Jan Mark’s conversational style is the antithesis of dumbing down. She clearly knew her stuff, but felt no need to show off. Here, she links arms with her readers and takes them on an engaging romp through the evolution of museums, encouraging them to indulge their passions and create a personal collection.

I can’t make up my mind whether The Museum Book was intended for serious children – the nine-year-old professor obsessed with echinoderms or medieval armour – or for adults who can’t let go of their inner child, but it works for me.

I return to The Museum Book when I feel the need to reboot my sense of wonder. Over time, we museum types can become blase about our privileged workplace – we forget how we once gazed in awe at the displays, how we felt a spark of connection through a copperplate label or a thumbprint on a pot, how we pinched ourselves to prove the job wasn’t a dream.

Chapter one of this book is a vivid reminder, through a visitor’s eyes, of just how bizarre and fascinating museums are, but also how frustrating and alienating they can be for many.

To make our museums more accessible and inclusive, we need to take that imaginative leap back to our first encounters, and Mark’s delightful story can help us do just that.