Course ID#: G49.1500
(All Sections)
History and Theory of Museums
Required Course. 4 points.
Introduction to the social, cultural, and political history of museums. This course focuses on
the formation of the modern museum with an emphasis on the US context. Museums of Natural History,
Anthropology, Science, Technology, History, and Art will be addressed from a variety of
disciplinary approaches that explore the institution and its practices with respect to
governance, colonialism, nationalism, class, gender, ethnicity, and community. Frequent visits to
New York museums are required, along with weekly writing assignments, and a final paper.