| CODE | BLH4021 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Introduction to Museology | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 04 - Years 4, 5 in Modular UG or PG Cert Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Conservation and Built Heritage | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit shall introduce the science of Museology and the ways and means of how this has been informed and shaped by different schools of thought. Attention shall also be given to the history of museums. It shall also discuss the definition of the museum in post-war times, including the latest developments in the field, and the various categories of museums, with a particular focus on contemporary issues. The study-unit shall also focus on the 21st-century museum and how this has evolved from the stereotypical understanding of what a museum should be to relate more to critical, participatory, inclusive, and radical museology. The study-unit shall also focus on context-based Museology with the Mediterranean as a case study. A selection of museums shall be proposed as case studies to visit, assess and critically review through the lens of 21st-century museological thought. Study-Unit Aims: - The aim of this study-unit is to raise students鈥� awareness of the science of Museology and how this has informed our understanding of the museum institution today. It shall seek to analyse the museum institution as a multifaceted cultural institution committed to preservation and access. - The aim shall also be to analyse and comprehend the ways and means of how the museum institution has evolved over time in response to society鈥檚 needs. With museum theory as the chosen lens, it shall also seek to understand the central role of collections and material culture that is consistently being rethought in various ways and means. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Discuss the theoretical models and frameworks that inform the museum idea by evaluating the literature and pertinent case studies; - Evaluate museum typologies and their histories referring to museum theory and how this informs the 21st-century museum institution; - Discuss the role of museums within society and debate current issues around management and the use of technology; - Describe the relevance and significance of material culture in museums and the ways and means how this is managed, interpreted and understood. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Employ theoretically-informed perspectives to critically review established museological practices; - Demonstrate critical thinking skills by evaluating the general understanding of museums through the lens of Museology and museum theory in general; - Given a case study, categorise and analyse a museum institution in order to understand management practices at all levels; - Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the 21st-century museum idea by evaluating the latest developments in the field. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: ESSENTIAL READINGS: MacDonald S. (ed.), A Companion to Museum Studies, Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Desvalles A, Mairesse F., Key Concepts of Museology, Armand Colin & ICOM, 2010. (https://icom.museum/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Museologie_Anglais_BD.pdf) Bruno Brulon S., (Ed.), A History of Museology - Key authors of museological theory, ICOFOM, Paris, 2019. (https://icofom.mini.icom.museum/publications-2/the-monographs-of-icofom/) Marstine, J., New Museum Theory and Practice: An Introduction, Wiley-Blackwell, 2005. Supplementary Readings: Vergo P. (Ed.), The New Museology, Reaktion Books, 1989. Gail Dexter Lord, Barry Lord, The Manual of Museum Management, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2009 Kiersten F., Latham, J. & Simmons, E., Foundations of Museum Studies: Evolving Systems of Knowledge. Libraries Unlimited, 2014. (Online access through UM HiDi portal) Hooper-Greenhill, E. (Ed.) Museum, Media, Message, Routledge, London, 1995. Dudley, S.H. (Ed.), Museum Objects - Experiencing the Property of Things, Routledge, 2012. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Fieldw, Ind Study, Lec, Tut, Onl L, Grp L & Semi | |||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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