Spring 2000
Course Title: Art 435 Introduction to Museums

Fridays 1 PM- 3:45 PM
University Art Museum, North Campus Center

Instructor: Marina Freeman
Office: 562-985-7604
e-mail:  museum-studies@csulb.edu 
website: www.csulb.edu/museum-studies
Office hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 12 Noon-1PM
 

Course Description:

The course will introduce students to the fundamentals of museum practices.  Discussions will include a brief history of museums worldwide, in-depth portrays of the different departments, governance of museums, financial issues, permanent collection issues, curatorial concerns, technology in museums, legal and moral issues, copyright and intellectual property rights.  Through the  assigned readings, written assignments, class discussion, field trips, and in-class projects students will gain an understanding of the complex and demanding museum environment. 

Requirements:

Reading assignments will be given out in class.  Each student is responsible for completing the selected reading of the week, and must be prepared to discuss to selection. Preparation for and discussion of the selections will count as 10% of the final grade.

Each student will be required to visit two different museumsóone at the beginning and one at the end of the semesteróand write an evaluation of the museum according to the guidelines given in class.  Each paper will count as 15% of the final grade.  5-6 pages.
 

Each student will be required to write two self evaluationsó one at the beginning and one at the end of the semesteróaccording to the guidelines given in class. Each paper will count as 10% of the final grade.  2-3 pages.
 

There will be a mandatory midterm and a final exam.  Each will count as 20% of the final grade.  Multiple choice, true-false, essay questions.
 

All papers will be graded equally on these criteria: content, style, grammar.  Late papers will be penalized.
 

Class Schedule:

January 27  Introduction to the course
Review assignments
First reading assignment

February 4  First self-evaluation due
   History of museums

February 11  History of UAM; structure of museums
   Departments in museums

February 18  First museum visit paper due
   The Registrar, Collections Management

February 25  The Registrar cont'd
   The Curator/Exhibition design
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March 3  Field trip (location TBA)

March 10  The Curator cont'd
   In-class exercise (exhibition)

March 17  Public Relations
   The making of an exhibition catalogue
   Copyright/Intellectual property rights
   Review for midterm exam

March 24  Midterm exam

March 31  Museum administration: governance, budgets, ethics

April 7  Fieldtrip (location TBA)

April 14  Money in museums: fund raising, grant writing, planned giving
   Guest speaker (not yet confirmed)

April 21  Spring break

April 28  Museum education, outreach, docent programs

May 5   Technology in museums
   Museums as entertainment?

May 12  Second self-evaluation due
   Second museum visit paper due
   Review for final exam, questions?
   Potluck

May 19  Final exam