Introduction to Museum Studies

Catalog description

Museums are more popular than ever before. This course, designed for students interested in museological practices and museum careers, will focus on art museums, but will also embrace history, anthropology, archeology and public administration, to examine the institutional and ethical dimensions of presenting culture in a dedicated space. It will introduce students to how museums operate, and explore critical issues of power, privilege and diversity. We will look at museum missions, collection practices, exhibition strategies, and audience appeal. With that in mind, we will examine the various ideologies at play in museums today, and the ethics of cultural representation and "ownership" of cultural artifacts. CGER SBS-BS Social & Behavioral Science: Social & Behavioral Studies. Offered Spring.