COLEG-251 The Curator, The Museum, and the Alchemy of Culture
Museums are cultural arbiters, arenas where canonical aesthetics and historical narratives are manifested for public consumption. Curators serve as mediators, distilling and applying knowledge to physical materials to concretize their interpretations. This course explores the history of museums, from Cabinets of Curiosities, through sideshows, arriving at various modern museums of history, science, and art, as well as libraries and archives. Students will learn methodologies and ethics of collecting and curation through hand-on experiential learning and readings. Case studies examining museums featuring human remains and looted objects will foster in-class debates. We will interrogate the boundaries dividing science, education, preservation, and desecration. The course will culminate in an exhibition researched, curated, and installed by students in the Burke Library. Sessions include guest speakers: museum curators, educators, registrars, collectors, dealers, and exhibit specialists. We will also visit local museums on field trips.
Other
Credits
1