History 435

Museums: A Social, Political, and Institutional History

T/Th, 3:00-4:20, Fall 2022

StudiOC 209

Professor Renee Romano

Oberlin College

From the first natural history and art museums to the new 21^st century “memorial museums,” museums have long claimed to play important social functions, from educating a responsible citizenry to transforming visitors through exhibits and educational programs. This seminar explores the origins, evolution, and function of different types of museums from the 18^th to the 21^stcentury.

We will explore the relationship between museums and modernity, the ways in which museums construct knowledge and narratives, and how museum practices have changed over time. Our class will consider a range of fundamental questions about museums. What exactly is a museum and what distinguishes it from other institutions? When and why did museums first develop? In what ways have museums been colonial institutions and can they be decolonized? How have museums served to legitimize the nation and how have movements to build alternative museums sought to challenge dominant cultural and political narratives? Through readings, museum visits, and conversations with guest speakers we will consider the many ways in which museums produce and structure knowledge

This class requires two Saturday field trips. On Saturday, October 8, we will visit the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. On Saturday, November 12, we will visit the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On both days, we will leave campus around 9am and return by 4pm. All costs of travel and museum visits are covered, but please bring money to purchase lunch. Please be sure to check your schedules immediately to ensure that you can attend the off-campus field trips. If you have a conflict, see me as soon as possible to discuss alternative ways you can visit the sites. In addition, we will visit both the Allen Art Museum and the Oberlin Heritage Center during our regular class meeting time.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course is designed for advanced undergraduate students in History and related fields who are interested in learning about museums, about the role they have played in society and about the history of and debates about museum practices. It also counts as a theory/methods course for the new Public Humanities Integrative concentration. Students who complete the class will:

• Develop a sophisticated understanding of, and appreciation for, the history and evolution of museums as political, social, and educational institutions and for the functions that museums have played in different eras.

• Acquire a set of tools that can be used anywhere to better understand the narratives, design, and functions of any museum they might visit over the course of their lives.

• Hone their skills in observation and analysis as they become critical museum visitors.

• Gain proficiency in reading secondary sources efficiently for argument, content, and use of evidence.

• Improve their written and oral communication skills through writing exercises and engaged discussions.

• Learn about working in museums from museum professionals.

• Further develop their capacity for, and comfort with, working collaboratively in a group.