Lecture:

Catalog description

The lectures survey selected issues in the prehistory of the museum, such as collecting in classical antiquity through the Renaissance; the studiolo; the Kunstkammer; the birth of the 'modern' museum in the age of Enlightenment; the history of European and American museums in the 19th century as they emerged alongside the disciplines of archaeology and art history; museums in the 20th century and their expanding definition largely as a consequence of increased attention to modern and contemporary art and its rupture with tradition. The course will conclude with an examination of how museums are adapting to a rapidly changing world and more diverse audiences; how museums are affected by and harnessing technology such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence; how these and other developments are shaping the museum of the future.