A Companion to Museum Studies

Macdonald, Sharon (Editor)

Blackwell Companions in Cultural Studies

1. Edition July 2010
590 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd

ISBN: 978-1-4443-3405-0

John Wiley & Sons

Short Description

A Companion to Museum Studies captures the multidisciplinary approaches to the study of the development, roles, and significance of museums in contemporary society. It is an indispensable reference for art historians, museum curators, and art and culture lovers.

Further versions

A Companion to Museum Studies captures the multidisciplinary approach to the study of the development, roles, and significance of museums in contemporary society.
* Collects first-rate original essays by leading figures from a range of disciplines and theoretical stances, including anthropology, art history, history, literature, sociology, cultural studies, and museum studies
* Examines the complexity of the museum from cultural, political, curatorial, historical and representational perspectives
* Covers traditional subjects, such as space, display, buildings, objects and collecting, and more contemporary challenges such as visiting, commerce, community and experimental exhibition forms

List of Illustrations

Notes on Contributors

Acknowledgments

Bibliographical Note

Part I: Perspectives, Disciplines, Concepts

Part II. Histories, Heritage, Identities

Part III. Architecture, Space, Media

Part IV. Visitors, Learning, Interacting: Introduction

Part V. Globalization, Profession, Practice

Part VI. Culture Wars, Transformations, Futures

Index

"This account captures a fresh, multi-disciplinary approach to the study of the development, roles, and significance of museums in our society. It expands museum studies and presents a wide range of theoretical perspectives. The essays examine the complexity of the museum from cultural, political governance, curatorial, historical, and representational perspectives, Sharon Macdonald is the author and Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester." (Neopoprealism Journal, 24 November 2011)

"The collection is not primarily a compendium of the work of ethnographers. The group of scholars Macdonald brought together reflects the current makeup of museum studies as an interdisciplinary endeavor." (Museum Anthropology, April 2009)

"Required reading for museum professionals and scholars in museum studies, art and cultural history, sociology of art, and anthropology ... The text is rich in information and diverse in perspectives; it both introduces and complicates in an intriguing and necessary way what we 'know' about museums ... Essential." (Choice)

"This is a wonderfully comprehensive collection of essays, offering diverse perspectives, covering all aspects of the museum profession, and addressing contemporary and historical discourse ... It really is the best compendium I've read in years." (Museums Australia)

Sharon Macdonald is Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester. Her books include Theorizing Museums (edited with Gordon Fyfe, Blackwell 1996), Reimagining Culture (1997), The Politics of Display (ed., 1998), Behind the Scenes at the Science Museum (2002), and Exhibition Experiments (edited with Paul Basu, Blackwell 2007).

S. Macdonald, University of Manchester