HIST 6131: Museum Origins and Evolution

Course Description

This course traces the social and cultural history of museums from their origins in curiosity cabinets, princely collections, freak shows, and exhibitions, through their late 19th and early 20th century institutionalization, to present-day developments such as blockbuster exhibitions, community collaborations, masterpiece architecture, and the spread of museal and heritage institutions around the globe. Topics include colonialism, modernity, and the production of taxonomical knowledge; museums and nationalism; theories of culture, patrimony, and ownership; manufacture, marketing, and museums; the relationships between museums and academia; identity politics and culture wars; community-based initiatives; and virtual and digital museum spaces.