AHT 350 Museums and Art Galleries: Theory, History and Practice
This course looks at museum theory and practices at the beginning of the 21st Century, placing particular emphasis on art museums and galleries. Students will be encouraged to familiarize themselves with theoretical issues rooted in the historical development of national collections in the 19th century, as well as to consider a number of practical applications required of museum personnel in the present day. On the one hand, the course discusses a number of issues operative in the field of heritage and museum studies, such as authenticity, public(s) and reception, interpretation, historical discourse, memory, dark heritage. It will aim to present an archaeology of the museum realm informed and constructed by historical practice and discourses. Secondly, the course will aim to discuss a number of technical practical functions in the art museum and art gallery context, such as curating, conservation, law, marketing and design, public relations and research. Informed by theoretical and historical reflections, it will aim to explore the current technical operations active in the body-museum and the challenges that might lie ahead. A number of visits and workshops in museums in the Ticino region will be scheduled.