Foundations of Museum Studies: Evolving Systems of Knowledge

by Kiersten F Latham, John Edward Simmons

This broad introduction to museums benefits all educators who teach introductory museum studies, addressing the discipline from a holistic, dynamic, and document-centered perspective.

Museums serve to help us understand the past and navigate our future―as individuals, as societies, and as a global community. A careful and accurate assessment of a museum's purpose is crucial to its ability to serve its users effectively. Foundations of Museum Evolving Systems of Knowledge offers a holistic introduction to museums and the study of them from the perspective of specialization in museum studies within the context of library and information science (LIS).

The book strikes a balance between theory and practice, examining museums from a systems perspective that considers museums to be document-centered institutions―that objects are documents that generate and convey information, meaning, and inspiration. The authors utilize examples drawn from their experience with institutions in the United States that can be applied to museums across the world. Future museum professionals who read this book will have a broader perspective, an expanded skill set, and the adaptability to span the spectrum of traditional academic disciplines.

Genres: Museums, Nonfiction, Museology, School

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Elizabeth Schlatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I assigned this book for a Museum Studies class that I'm teaching for undergrads. It's a great book to introduce students to basics of museums, including their history, their mission and how things have changed over the past few decades, what is museum studies, how do museums operate as a system, objects and collections care and management, what do museum workers do and how has the industry changed, etc. It's weak on looking at PR, marketing, communications, etc, which is somewhat surprising see as how those museum functions play so much into museums' operations and goals. Nonetheless, the authors do a great job in combining museum basics, trends, best practices, and theories within very manageable chapters that are not overloaded with jargon.

[Lenka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice introduction to museums and museum studies. The book is divided into 6 sections discussing what museums and museum studies are, the development and types of museums, their workers and audiences, the current situation of museums around the world and the challenges for the future.

[Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short introduction to museum studies, possibly written for 16 year olds if you judge it by tone, language and form. Or maybe it's written for the average american college student. In that case i totally get why americans arent members of ICOM