Department - Author 1
Social Sciences Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Social Sciences
Date
6-2011
Primary Advisor
Terry L. Jones
Abstract/Summary
This paper explores the relatively recent critical literature published on the history, theory, culture, and politics of museums. The report shall focus on comparing and contrasting curatorial methods as well as the before-and-after effect of the so-called “paradigm shift”—the shift from museums that are object-centered to visitor-centered [1]. This project emphasizes museums of Natural History and Anthropology, either by selecting literature that already references them or by applying the valid information in other articles. This emphasis allows for close evaluation of the exhibition of human evolution, cultural material, and Native Americans. How and why would a museum emphasize science over politics in these instances or vice versa, according to museum studies authors?
[1] Weil, Stephen. 1990. Rethinking the Museum and Other Meditations. Smithsonian Institution Press.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/socssp/69