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Understanding Museums, Spring 2018

This survey course introduces students to the histories, functions and practices of museums. It examines the different ways of defining museums, followed by topics broadly divided into the following categories: histories, collections, display, audience and the museum profession. The course offers a critical approach to the study of museums in both Western and Asian cultural contexts. It highlights past and current issues and the often contested roles that museums are expected to play in society.

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On completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe and explain the historical development of museums;

  2. Demonstrate knowledge of notable museums around the world;

  3. Articulate and discuss the different definitions and functions of museums in society;

  4. Critically analyse and respond to the design of museum displays, spaces and their implications;

  5. State the challenges involved in the formation and care of museum collections;

  6. Discuss the use of digital technology in museums and their effect; and

  7. Identify the different components of museum work and management.

In the spring semester of 2017-18, this course has included a Service-Learning and Research Scheme which emphasises experiential learning and real-world application of the knowledge and skills of learning and interpretation in the context of community museums. Students are offered an opportunity to assist St James’ Settlement in research and report writing. The interviews, photos, research materials and data analysis of the service-learning project are presented in group presentations and project reports, which serve as the backbone of a comprehensive heritage report to be edited by the project consultant, Dr Vivian Ting.

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Under the instruction and supervision of Professor Michelle Huang and Dr Ting, eighteen students, divided into five groups, managed the following tasks as part of their course assessment between 24 January and 7 May 2018:

 

  1. Attended training, consultation and reflective sessions;

  2. Visited the Blue House Cluster and participated in selected public programmes;

  3. Collected data and images in the form of interviews, photography and video;

  4. Perused and discussed relevant readings on heritage preservation, museums and communities, exhibition design, museum learning and audience engagement;

  5. Wrote bilingual text for the heritage report;

  6. Documented research progress and findings in required formats; and

  7. Prepared group presentations and project reports.

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Through the above service-learning projects, students in the two semesters are able to:

 

  1. Apply key concepts, theories and contextual knowledge learned in the course to analysing case studies;

  2. Conduct field research on the social and cultural history of a specific example of built heritage in Hong Kong;

  3. Tackle the issues involved in the research for the community partner and the implementation of public programmes;

  4. Critically evaluate the design of exhibitions, public programmes and learning materials;

  5. Enhance critical thinking and develop skills in research, communication, oral presentation and writing, as well as the ability to work with others; and

  6. Reflect upon individuals’ social responsibility and their role in the preservation of cultural heritage and the development of community museums.

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