| ART HIS 181 | WHAT IS A MUSEUM | GOLDSMITH, M. | A great opportunity for students interested in working in a museum or curious about how
cultural knowledge is produced in society. This course provides a brief overview of the
history and kinds of museums in the United States. We will begin in the late 19th Century
when art museums defined their public mission, and continue through the development of
"white cube" galleries, through challenges to institutions in the 1960s, and conclude with
museums' expanded roles as cultural venues and educators today. We will cover the various
administrative and creative roles in museums, tracing changes in knowledge and skill
expectations, and professionalization. Each week this course will focus on a particular
historical moment when art museums sought to redefine themselves—sometimes by choice,
sometimes by economic force or social confrontation. By the end of this course students will
have a basic understanding of how museums tick and the key debates that have shaped
these fascinating and powerful institutions. |