Syllabus
1. Introduction to the course and assignments. What is a museum? When did museums and collecting begin?
2. Beginning of a museum - case study British Museum and Louvre
3. Trends in museum exhibitions
4. Excursion - New and Historical building of the National Museum in Prague. Discussing the history of National Museum in Prague
5. Excursion - National Museum of Agriculture and National Technical Museum. Discussing all the different tasks of museum employees
6. Meeting to discuss group projects
7. Community engagement and public outreach
8. Excursion - Hrdlicka Museum of Man. Discussing the development of trends in exhibition making
9. Individual work on the group project
10. Excursion - The city of Prague museum
11. Excursion - Celtic oppidum Zavist. Discussing the issue of Public Archaeology
12. Discussing the role of museums in the 3rd millennium
13. Final project presentation
Annotation
The aim of this course is to understand the past and the present of such important institutions, as the museums are, for the contemporary society. The course will partly consist of in-class meetings, targeting theoretical framework for the course, the beginnings of collecting artifacts, creation of some of the most significant museums in Europe and current trends in museum exhibitions, complemented by numerous visits to the main museums in
Prague, facilitating on spot engagement and discussions with the essentials of museum exhibitions, its development or various roles of museum employees. Students will be able to perceive and evaluate issues occurring during exhibition preparations. Part of the course will be also dedicated to a practical group project.
Group assignment:
The Historical Building of the National Museum was closed for public from the year 2011 due to an extensive reconstruction. It was partially re-opened in 2018 on the occasion of Czechoslovakia’s 100th anniversary with the
Czech-Slovak / Slovak-Czech exhibition. However, the permanent exhibitions are still in progress and should be opened for visitors in few years. What do you think would be the appropriate temporary exhibition in the Historical
Building until then? What do you personally believe Prague is lacking exhibition-wise? What topic would deserve to be presented?
Divide in groups of three and think of an idea for a small exhibition. You can use e-Collections of the National
Museum to choose objects which you would like to display. Your task is to:
- Select objects to display, think of the topic and title of the exhibition
- Write a proposal
- Create a poster
- Think of an appropriate educational program for school visits or public event
- Propagation strategy – facebook post, Press Release…
- Choose one object or a group of objects and suggest the proper way of displaying i