Museums and Historical Interpretation

Catalog description

Museums and Historical Interpretation explores the professional world of museums, the place of museums within our cultural landscape and the methods of interpretation critical to creating meaningful museum experiences. The course explores both theoretical and practical aspects of museum studies, including specialized museum career options, such as museum education, collections management and exhibit development. Readings in professional museum literature will lay the foundation for reflective study on best practices and methodology in museums. Experiential learning opportunities will provide field experiences to enhance career prospects by developing specialized skills and professional work products. This course will also provide a foundation for historical interpretation, including how public audiences use the past and challenges faced by public historians in balancing audience needs and professional standards.