This introduction to Museum Studies offers students the opportunity to become acquainted with the theory and practice of museum work. The course combines four key components: contact with museum professionals working in a range of museum settings at area museums; exercises designed to introduce students to the different facets of museum work; readings in museum theory and history; and hands-on experience through assisting with research and preparation for an upcoming Fleming Museum exhibit. The general theme for exhibit work will be “Beverages” with an emphasis on developing a show based on objects from the Fleming Museum and UVM Special Collections. The course is suitable for introductory students and does not require any Anthropology or museum background. We begin with a brief introduction to the concept of the museum as it developed from ancient times to the present. The remainder of the course focuses on how museum professionals research art and material culture objects; how they plan and organize exhibitions; and how they develop programming, advertising and events surrounding an exhibit.

Throughout the course, hand-on exercises will allow students to analyze museum exhibits, try their hand at curating objects, and offer ideas to enhance a show opening at the Fleming in January 2017. Guest speakers from Burlington area museums, including several from the Fleming Museum, will discuss their work with students, introducing them to the various kinds of jobs available in the museum context and what the qualifications for each job are. In addition to sessions working at the Fleming, the program fee will cover weekly field trips to local museums, where students will meet with museum professionals and discuss different aspects of object preservation, museum display and public outreach.