Polonius3: But only briefly. In America it is open all day at the funeral home or even two days as family and friends come to pay their last respects and sign a memorial book. Used to be 3 days.
I think it has (had?) to do with technology. Most of the time the body was stored in a church (usually briefly, right before the funeral) and in a home before that. With no A/C a body left to heat will not look too well to be displayed.
Last week, here in Niagara, I attended a funeral of a friend's one week old baby boy. The tiny coffin was not even open at all.
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