Visual Arts History 1045A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-13: Musaeum, Zoo, Renaissance Humanism
29 Apr 2018
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MUSEUMS IN MOTION
VAH1045 B
TEXTBOOK NOTES
What is a museum? + Museums in motion (p. 1-27)
•The American Alliance of Museums defines a museum as an organized and permanent non-
profit institution, for educational or aesthetic purpose, with professional staff, that owns and
utilizes tangible objects (cares for objects, displays them on a regular schedule)
•The International Council of Museums (1995) defines a museum as a non-profit making,
permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public
which acquires, conserves, researches, and exhibits collections for the purposes of study,
education, enjoyment, and material evidence of people and their environment
Ancient and Medieval Prototypes
•Mouseion - temple of the Muses, goddesses of epic, music, love poetry, tragedy, comedy,
astronomy
•Mouseion of Alexandria - statues of thinkers, astronomical instruments, elephant trunks,
animal hides, botanical and zoological park
•primarily a repository of texts (archival) - library
•collections were housed in the city of Bruchium
•many scholars wrote their books there
•institute of higher learning
•community for education
•many prominent scholars in resident
•repositories of collections
•Sho-so Treasure House
•Ashmolean (Oxford University, 1683)
From Private Collection to Public Museum
•gallery (galleria)
•cabinet (gabinetto)
•Wunderkammer (Cabinet of Wonders)
•the museum began to go public in the late 17th century through the establishment of
university museums, archives/repositories managed by higher education institutions in
support of teaching and research
•cabinets gradually shifted their focuses from objects of mystery and beauty to increasingly
rationalized displays
•Oleworm - Cabinet of Curiosities
•18th century - interest in discovering natural and basic laws that formed a framework for the
universe and humanity —> concern with preservation of natural specimens/collections as an
agent in educating humankind and abet the process towards perfection
•THE 18TH CENTURY WAS A TIME OF DISCOVERY AND UNDERSTANDING - LOTS! OF!
ENLIGHTENMENT!
•Vatican established many museums - 1750
“The modern museum is a product of Renaissance humanism, 18th century enlightenment and
19th century democracy.” - J Mordaunt Crook, British Museum
Museums of the United States
•The Charleston Museum, 1773 - collection of natural history materials for the promotion of the
Natural History of the province
•established my Charles Wilson Peale in Philadelphia
•animals, birds, insects
•portraits of the Founding Fathers
•1870 - TRIFECTA: The American Museum of Natural History (NY), The Met, Museum of Fine
Arts (Boston)
•marked the entry of the USA into the museum mainstream
•John Cotton Dana - founder of the Newark Museum
•conceptualized museums and libraries as spaces for the general public
•eliminate elitist premise of museums and libraries
•communal
•“a centre of public happiness first, public education next”
•museums and libraries in favour of inquiry and discovery
•The Gloom of the Museum - museums begin to understand the need to satisfy the
requisites of the community as whole
•Benjamin Ives Gilman - museums differ by type (ex: museum of science - school, museum of
art - temple)
•by 1900, American Museums were increasingly becoming renters of education and public
enlightenment
Museum Functions
EDUCATION, INFORMATION SHARING, CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE
•collecting, conservation, research for education all support the development of exhibitions
•collections provide basis for research
•the collection is a tool for the general public
•one a collection grants access to the public, its predominant role is exhibitionism
•research should be inclusive in nature and address museum practices and visitors themselves
(understanding the audience, understanding the institution)
•research often results in additions to collections
•museums are interphase with other collecting institutions such as libraries and archives
•collections allow for research - accurate descriptions and catalogues of items/specimens
•taxonomic contributions from collections aid in biological studies
•museum displays can show “progress” through periods and their respective artifacts
(chronological arrangement of objects)
•exhibition, education/interpretation, commitment to community
•growth and expansion of public education - museums became agencies for conveying cultural
traditions and introducing people to new cultural contexts
•the 20th century catalyzed an emphasis on engagement of visitors thus culminating increased
significance on the relationship between the entertainer (museum) and its audience
Changing Definitions for Museums
•amusement
•healthy and stimulating surroundings
•provision of intellectual access to the collections and therefore informations accumulated
•information can be portrayed through scientific fact or bodies of expression (songs, poems,
etc.)
•a place to marvel at beauty, to discuss new ideas and concepts with other individuals, to
explore new contexts and cultures
Document Summary
Enlightenment: vatican established many museums - 1750. The modern museum is a product of renaissance humanism, 18th century enlightenment and. 19th century democracy. - j mordaunt crook, british museum. Museums of the united states: the charleston museum, 1773 - collection of natural history materials for the promotion of the. Natural history of the province: established my charles wilson peale in philadelphia, animals, birds, insects, portraits of the founding fathers, 1870 - trifecta: the american museum of natural history (ny), the met, museum of fine. Museums allow for its visitors to engage in the exploration of many cultures and histories. A golden age for art museums: museums grew and emerged in parallel with both the political and industrial revolution in. European life: the louvre experienced rapid growth, and bonaparte"s italian campaign of 1796 added to the. London: helped to define the scope of a comprehensive art museum.
