Traces of Modernity

Exploring four significant nineteenth-century objects, the book examines their connections to the Great Exhibition of 1851 and their influence on modern display, surveillance, and commerce. The ruins of the Crystal Palace, the Albert Memorial, Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum, and H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" serve as critical lenses through which to understand the evolution of museums and public spaces. By linking these artifacts to contemporary issues, the narrative highlights their role as ideological relics that provoke critical thought about history's impact on the present.