Mausoleum or museum: Engaging the significance of cultural museum collections for heritage tourism in the 21st century

Abstract Tangible and intangible elements of culture are the primary sustenance heritage tourism. They include traditional dance, folklore, songs, arts craft, indigenous technologies, festivals, rituals, rites. All these cultural products designed to embody different activities. constitute some major attractions present‐day museums. Although objects imbued with functional roles through which they interact society, yet within confines museums, seemingly lifeless; needing curator narrate their relevance. Their role in community seems lost as no opportunity is given or created display relevance amuse curious museum visitors. This raises questions, a mausoleum products? How can mere narration lifeless satisfy visitors' curiosity taste for new experience? To answer salient this paper employed desktop research design using two case studies, Osun Osogbo sacred grove state palace Oba Benin Nigeria, explore significance museums promoting tourism its collections. The study found that living negates original upon entry into modern museum. concludes collections be revived by decolonizing Eurocentric paradigm indigenizing curatorial practices western‐modeled Nigeria.