Just when we thought it might be safe to take the kids to a museum at half term, along comes the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow to remind us of the stupidity and misanthropy of our cultural establishments. The museum has removed its mummified ancient Egyptian remains – always sure-fire winners with the public – ‘as a mark of respect’.

Glasgow Life is the oddly-named organisation apparently responsible for decisions like these in the city’s museums – have the directors and curators given up and gone home?. They won’t let anyone see the dead priest Nekht, in his remarkable granite coffin, or the mummified head of a man, among the most popular exhibits on show. According to Glasgow Life, there needs to be ‘documented and informed consent from the deceased individual’ before being displayed – something rather difficult to obtain from someone who died more than 3,000 years ago.

One wonders if anyone in that benighted organisation has ever been young and fascinated to see the preserved body of someone who lived and breathed just like they do, but so long ago. That’s how we start our lifelong love affairs with museums. Remove the objects that thrill children in particular and you’re committing cultural suicide: they won’t ever come back.

Free museums encourage curatorial........

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