This course is designed to introduce students to the history of museums, the major types of museums, their collections, and historical and contemporary issues and ethical challenges shaping the scope and role of museums. Topics discussed include the definition of museums, the history of collecting practices, and the origins and development of the public museum. The role of material culture in museum history, museum operations, and diversity and community engagement are also considered. Students are encouraged to make field trips, visiting subject-appropriate museum sites and reporting back to the class. Students will also contribute to discussion sessions on assigned topics and research the origins and mission of museums.

CILO-1: Acquire knowledge about the foundations of museum history, theory and practice. CILO-2: Assimilate modern principles of museum work, including collection management, exhibition development, and community engagement through theorical analysis and hands-on learning experiences. CILO-3: Use research skills to interpret the relevance of objects pertaining to archives, collections and museums and contextualize students in ways that engage diverse audiences. CILO-4: Apply key concepts in museological theory and ethics (e.g., the procurement of artifacts, repatriation, the politics of display, cultural property) to evaluate museum policies and practice.