LSC 677 History and Theory of Cultural Heritage Institutions
This course provides 21st-century graduate students interested in Cultural Heritage and Information Management with an overview of the history and theory of institutions whose mission is to collect, preserve, organize, interpret, and disseminate information about cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, and by direct or virtual means. Students will gain a grasp of the purpose and mission of these institutions, from the "cabinet of curiosities" to the virtual collections that cross boundaries between libraries, museums, and archives, as well as cultural organizations that protect and interpret buildings and sites of cultural and historical significance or are dedicated to grass-roots efforts to promote the protection of heritage. The course will cover ethics, collection, and curatorial practices, and the visitor/user experience, as well as the meaning of cultural heritage in the global environment. Field trips to local cultural heritage institutions throughout the Washington, D.C. area provide opportunities to observe how theory manifests in practice and to trace the evolution of these institutions from their historical origins to their present-day operations.
Cross Listed Courses
LSC 677 &
HIST 477 &
HIST 677