The Art Museum: History, Philosophy, and Practice

3 credits

A study of the emergence of museums tracing their development from private collections of the classical and medieval periods to their present form as public institutions. Topics include: the museum's function in its social context; the role of museums in creating culture; how practices of visual and material culture are linked to constructing meaning; the constituency of museums and their educational mission; philosophy of installation and care of collections. The course will meet in the McMullen Museum; field trips to local museums.