The Future of Museums: History, Architecture, Practice

What is the role of a museum in the 21st century? To share stories? Preserve artifacts? Display art? Educate the public? Generate tourism? Is a museum an elite institution, repository of culture, or welcoming public space? How do architectural and design choices, as well as curatorial practices, speak to these conflicting roles? In this course we will ask how different types of museums, from 16th cabinets of curiosities to contemporary art and community history museums, confront issues such as cultural repatriation, Starchitecture, labor rights, censorship and funding, and accessibility, among others. Students will meet with professionals in the museum world and will produce final projects re-imagining the physical and conceptual space of the museum, from curatorial work to layout and design.