Museum Studies

Catalog description

This museum seminar is designed to introduce the students to the study of museums from their inception in the 18th century in western Europe, as part of the obsessive natural history collections to exploring the evolving role of art museums in a global society. We begin with a review of collecting as a personal obsession to a profession to our examination of the rapidly changing social, political and economic environments is forcing museums to reconfigure themselves and embrace new roles. To this end, we will examine both the creation of these institutions as cultural trendsetters, by the middle of 19th century, and explore how a successful exhibition may help shape societal and cultural concerns with respect to public attitudes towards art. This class will investigate a range of topical issues and processes within the context of cultural change. Formerly offered as ARH 406. Not for credit in addition to ARH 406.