Museum Studies - New College of Florida

This interdisciplinary secondary field (minor) offers a theoretical and practical foundation for engaging critically and creatively with museums.

About Museum Studies

Museum Studies is an interdisciplinary secondary field (minor) that offers a theoretical and practical foundation for engaging critically and creatively with museums, institutions—whether art museums, natural history museums, heritage (archaeological and historic) sites, botanical gardens, science centers, aquariums, or zoos—that collect, preserve, research, interpret, and exhibit tangible and intangible evidence of the human and natural world, with the goal of promoting deeper knowledge, understanding, and inquiry.

Students at New College will benefit from the wide variety of museological institutions in the surrounding area, including, but not limited to: the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art; the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design; the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature; Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium; the Family Heritage House Museum at State College of Florida; the Gallery at State College of Florida; Sarasota County Historical Resources/History Center; Marie Selby Botanical Gardens; De Soto National Memorial (National Park Service); Reflections of Manatee; Florida Maritime Museum (Manatee County); Art Center Sarasota; Architecture Sarasota.

This secondary field is designed to complement areas of concentration in a wide variety of disciplines, though it is particularly suited to anthropology and art history. It consists of 1) a set of courses that introduce students to the fields of museum and heritage studies, as well as to the history of collecting and museums; and 2) elective coursework and internships (selected in consultation with faculty in Museum Studies, and approved by the Director of Museum Studies) that will enable students to gain focused experience in a core facet of museum practice, whether collections or communication. This combined exposure to broader theoretical frameworks and targeted practical experience prepares students for a variety of fields and employment, but is especially suited to students contemplating further study and a career in Museum Studies and related fields like Library and Information Science.

Featured Course

ARTH 2260

Worlds of Wonder: A History of Museums

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the term “museum” was applied to encyclopedic collections intended to represent the world in microcosm. The formation of these collections enabled collectors to make sense of new discoveries, resulting from global exploration, which challenged established beliefs and existing world-views. This course surveys the history of museums from antiquity to the present. It considers the historical influences that have shaped at the development of museums from communities of scholars, concerned with the preservation and dissemination of knowledge, to public institutions, dedicated to the collection and exhibition of objects. The course examines the impact of museums on the development of new disciplines, which, in turn, have influenced the organization and interpretation of their contents. It also investigates the relationship between museums and other cultural phenomena, such as World Fairs and the circus. In addition, it addresses challenges facing museums today, ranging from decolonization and repatriation to diversity and social justice. This course will appeal to students with a wide range of interests, including museum studies, the history of collecting, art history, archaeology, anthropology, natural history, and the history of science.

Museum Studies Curriculum