HIST635 - Museum and Exhibition Culture

Course Code: HIST635 Course ID: 3989 Credit Hours: 3 Level: Graduate

This course is a study of objects, buildings, and landscapes and how to evaluate their contexts of display through three-dimensional stories over the course of two centuries, drawing mainly on examples in the United States. Students examine issues such as the relationship of collections and landscapes to identity; the intersection of commerce and culture; and the influence of museums on intellectual culture. Key themes focus on the role of museums and exhibitions in preserving a view of the past and developing an image of progress; and how they change in response to the various contexts in which and for which they exist.