Museums and Society: From Cabinets of Curiosities to Modern Sites
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

This short course will explore the various roles of museums as institutions of knowledge, preservation, and interpretation. The course will focus on the early history of museums in the United States and abroad, and provide a survey of topics such as exhibition practices, public education, visitor engagement, and building community relationships. Topics will be situated within the context of broader historical, intellectual, and cultural trends through time, and discussed from the instructor's personal experiences and perspectives working in archaeology and history museums.