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Unit of study_

ARHT6935: The Art Museum: Past, Present and Future

This unit of study explores the art museum from its origins in Renaissance and Baroque princely and aristocratic collections, through to the creation of new public spaces and institutions for exhibiting art in the 18th and 19th centuries, including national Academies and international exhibitions. Shifting conceptions of the role of the art museum will be addressed: from public instruction to nation building and mass entertainment. The final section explores current debates, including those posed by an expanding range of new media and changing audience perceptions.

Code ARHT6935
Academic unit Art History
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. To provide students with a solid understanding of the development of the art museum from the 18th century to the present.
  • LO2. To enable an appreciation of the diverse cultural contexts in which art museums have arisen, both in Australia and internationally.
  • LO3. To develop students’ verbal and written skills in interpreting and presenting debates about art museums.
  • LO4. To provide a relevant knowledge base for students who wish to pursue careers in the museum and galleries industries.

Unit outlines

Unit outlines will be available 2 weeks before the first day of teaching for the relevant session.