The Idea of the Museum
History · 3 hrs Seminar/Discussion
Offering schedule: contact department
The calendar doesn't say which term this runs in. The sections below show the terms it actually runs in this year.
No prerequisites listed, you can take this course without prior coursework.
Where HIST-4830 counts
Counts toward 1 more as one option among several, not as a course you must take:
- HISA HONOURS BA IN HISTORY OF ART
Read from the departments' own calendar pages, where 71 of 141 programs are only partly machine-readable, so treat these as a minimum rather than the full list. Confirm with an academic advisor.
Description
Museums and galleries do more than collect and exhibit objects; they participate in the packaging and presentation of the materials and ideas of culture, engaging with a diverse public and multiple stakeholders. Students examine the collecting, exhibiting and presentation practices of European and North American museums and galleries over the last two centuries with the goal of understanding their evolving role. The class explores how museums developed in response to the ideas of collecting and connoisseurship, the disciplines of art history and museology, and how these institutions reflect or relate to different ideologies, such as nationalism and colonialism.
Restrictions
Honours Form Required.
Note
This used to be titled The History of Museum and Collecting.
From the 2026-27 undergraduate calendar. Always verify details on WebAdvisor or with an academic advisor before registering.