Museums Today: Mission and Function

(Cross-listed as HIST 285 and ED 285). Offered every fall for the incoming class of museum studies certificate and graduate students, Museums Today provides an introduction to museum operations and current issues. Museums in 21st-century America are changing inside and out. New demands and expectations from various audiences-visitors, community, schools, donors-are challenging the way museums organize staff, shape collections, and create exhibitions and programs. Course topics include governance, ethics, planning, collecting, exhibitions, programming, technology, collaboration, leadership, and finances. The course also examines some of the current issues challenging the field, such as the treatment of disputed cultural property, working with communities, and dealing with controversy.