Introductory description

This module focuses on art museums and galleries. The first part takes a historical and theoretical view of galleries and museums, introducing students to a variety of permanent collections, exhibition spaces, concepts of display and interpretation. Local and global collections as well as those associated with the canon of Western Art History will take prominence, providing not only a contextualization of the specific host collection on which the students will concentrate in their assignment, but also introducing an approach to the artwork as a displayed object and its interpretations. The second part provides an insight into museum departments, their working roles with emphasis on teamwork and developing related skills. Areas examined will include curating, interpretation, outreach and learning, administration and finance, publicity and marketing.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Histories, theories and practices of museums and galleries. Critical thinking in relation to museum and gallery activities. Permanent collections, exhibition spaces, concepts of display and interpretation. Audience diversity and engagement. Local and global collections as well as those associated with the canon of Western Art History. Insight into museum departments, their working roles with emphasis on teamwork and developing related skills. Curating, interpretation, outreach and learning, administration and finance, publicity and marketing.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to critically analyse museum and gallery histories and theories.
• Critically appraise exhibition practices in specific local, national, and international museum and gallery collections.
• Develop curatorial skills pertinent to the research, interpretation and display of art objects.
• Create an original exhibition project, comprising of a cogent argument based on critical analysis, well-researched and clearly organised evidence, and appropriate examples.

Indicative reading list

Adrian George, The curator's handbook, 2015

Janet Marstine, New museum theory and practice: an introduction, 2006

Griselda Pollock, Museums after modernism: strategies of engagement, 2007

Emma Barker, Contemporary cultures of display, 1999

Charles Green and Anthony Gardner, Biennials, triennials, and documenta: the exhibitions that created contemporary art, 2016

Sharon Macdonald, A companion to museum studies, 2006

Bryony Onciul, Museums, heritage and indigenous voice: decolonizing engagement, 2015

Julian Stalabrass, High art lite: the rise and fall of young British art, 2006

Louise Tythacott; Kostas Arvanitis (eds.), Museums and restitution: new practices, new approaches, 2017

Wendy Coones; Oliver Grau; Viola Rühse, Museum and Archive on the Move: Changing Cultural Institutions in the Digital Era, 2017

Ross Parry (ed.), Museums in a digital age, 2010

Christine Paul (ed.), A companion to digital art, 2016

Mirjam Brusius; Kavita Singh (eds.), Museum storage and meaning: tales from the crypt, 2018

Beth Lord, ‘Foucault’s museum: difference, representation, and genealogy.’ Museum and Society, 2006

Charlotte Klonk, Spaces of experience: art gallery interiors from 1800 to 2000, 2009

Kall Tzortzi, Museum Space; where architecture meets museology,2015

Tina Roppola, Designing for the museum visitor experience, 2012

Joyce Apsel, Introducing peace museums, 2016

Juliette Fritsch, Museum gallery interpretation and material culture, 2011

Sophia Labadi, Museums, immigrants, and social justice, 2018

Laurajane Smith (ed.), Representing enslavement and abolition in museums: ambiguous engagements, 2011

Elena Stylianou; Theopisti Stylianou-Lambert, Museums and photography: displaying death, 2017

Christopher Whitehead; Susannah Eckersley; Katherine Lloyd; Rhiannon Mason (eds.), Museums, migration and identity in Europe: peoples, places and identities, 2016

Subject specific skills

Positions understanding of histories, theories and practices of museums and galleries within a historically developing trajectory • have a nuanced comprehension of local and global collections, exhibition organization, museum and gallery interpretation and display methods, the diversity and engagement of their audiences • be able to make connections and describe the relationships between theories, the historical development of exhibitions, current museum and gallery practices, interpretation, display and audience engagement. • Sophisticated visual and critical analysis of museums and galleries and their practices and the outcomes.

Transferable skills

Present an argument, initiate and sustain group discussion through intelligent questioning and debate at an appropriate level • ability to undertake research and to write up the results in the form of a well-structured argument at an appropriate level • familiarity with essential ICT skills • ability to collaborate effectively with others • show understanding of diverse viewpoints • ability to find, select, organize and synthesize evidence • ability to formulate a sustained argument • think conceptually and independently at an appropriate level • bibliographical skills at an appropriate level