Museums and Curatorial Practice

At the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. Understand the museum and its organisational structure and administrative protocols; 2. Understand the operational values of the museum and its educational value; 3. Appreciate the museum as institution of cultural production; 4. Appreciate the axiological nature of art; 5. the relationship between the museum and the visual arts; 6. Provide briefing on curating; 7. Engage and undertake curatorial practice; 8. Plan and execute exhibitions; and 9. Give curatorial briefings and directives.

This course examines the history and institutional origins and development of the museum institution, the gallery, and their global and local perspectives. The structure and organogram of the museum institution and their interrelationships. The course also situates vital aspects of the museum institution such as collections and acquisitions, conservation and documentation, mechanics of display and space rhetoric, and reporting on the object of culture. Visits to museums and exhibitions, an integral part of this course, will enable students to acquire relevant knowledge that will inform their critique of museums’ roles, functions, and management in general. A mandatory review of at least one exhibition is an integral aspect of the course.