Study Abroad Museology and Egyptian Material Culture

6 credits · Undergraduate

In this study abroad course, students will travel to Turin, Italy, to learn about museology and Egyptian material culture, working primarily at the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum). Students will gain hands-on experience working with ancient objects, databases, and learning from museum professionals. They will receive lectures and demonstrations from many experts, learning not only about objects and display choices, but also about the different professions connected to the museum in order to consider diverse career opportunities. Field trips to other museums, cultural heritage sites, archaeological sites, and conservation laboratories provide further opportunities to understand the many different means of communicating space and object histories to diverse audiences, and ways to participate in the museum field. Throughout these different approaches, students will be asked to consider the ethics of collecting and displaying objects and human remains, particularly taking into consideration a European, colonial viewpoint.