The museums with naked ambitions

MUCEM, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations in Marseille, is well placed to explore what, exactly, makes up European culture. With exhibitions such as ‘Mediterranean, Chapter 1: Inventions and representations’, it is clear that the institution is interested not only in the region’s history but also in how that history has been presented over time. But on the other side of the lobby, a bolder sort of presentation has been going on since the summer – one that gives fresh meaning to the term ‘history buff’.

‘Naturist paradises’ bares all about what the museum refers to as ‘a new craze for nudity in nature’. For anyone concerned that nudity and museums would make strange bedfellows, the museum has been organising a monthly tour of the exhibition for visitors keen to wear nothing but their shoes. Rakewell was reassured to read that the curators have been ensuring adequate heating – chief curator Amélie Lavin, who is also head of the museum’s ‘Bodies, Appearance and Sexuality’ department, told the New York Times, ‘It was too cold in the beginning.’ Perish the thought of visitors having to stand cheek by jowl just to stay warm.

MUCEM is one of several museums to display such naked ambition. Two months ago, Dorset Museum hosted a naturist night attended by 60 members of the public; judging by photos of the event, not even shoes were obligatory. The director of the museum, Claire Dixon, told the BBC that the event ‘showcased the ways museums can provide for their communities’. Rakewell is sure that the naturist community is delighted to feel this support behind them, and hopes that after ‘Naturist paradises’ closes on 9 December, MUCEM will embrace other communities that museums might have overlooked – Morris dancing in Marseille could be particularly magical.

It is hardly a surprise to find nudity in a museum. The Venus of Willendorf (c. 30,000 BC) is not famous for her clothes. Rakewell is yet to encounter spectators in their birthday suits but feels that we should be approaching this with the same openness of mind that art intends to foster. Besides, with institutions in Paris, Barcelona and Vienna having jumped on this bandwagon in recent years, perhaps naturist nights at museums are becoming just another European tradition, a stark sign of Old World indulgence – or even old hat. And as The Full Monty showed us, we know just what do with that hat.