This course is the required introduction to the social and cultural theory underlying museum practice. The museum is studied as a dynamic institution. Its structure and functions are examined in the context of political, economic, and social change. Designed as seminar/lecture course, students will study the writings of the founders of modern museum theory focusing on the development of museums and their service to the public, learning as a central focus of contemporary museums, and the shift from private to public support and responsibility for museums.
