coursemapLoading course
School of Art and Design · ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
This course introduces students to the history and profession of curatorship, and explores the roles of curators across varying collecting environments, with a focus on art collections. Students will become familiar with the main factors for consideration when preparing exhibitions and displays. They will also be introduced to the organisation of museums and the various professions within the museum environment. Topics will include the development of art galleries and museums, especially in the 20th century; the development, management and display of art collections; and approaches to documentation and publication. The course will study issues related to the responsibilities of the curator to the community (accessibility, education, exhibition and public relations) as well as responsibility to the objects (conservation, storage, accessioning and loan policies). There is a focus on Australian institutions and collections at national and regional levels.
Tutorial Participation
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Tutorial Presentation, 10 mins and Tutorial paper, 1500 words (10% each)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
Exhibition Review, 600 words
Learning outcomes 4
Exhibition Proposal, 500 words, and short class presentation, 10 minutes (10% each)
Learning outcomes 3, 4
Exhibition Package, 2500 words
Learning outcomes 4
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials and tutorial-like activities; and b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
There are no specific texts for this course. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the following journals, available as full-text electronic journals through the ANU Library Curator. The Museum Journal, Museum Management and Curatorship.