B5371 - Muséologie Contemporaine (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Students achieve in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of today's concept of Museum and of its most recent transformations, both from theoretical-methodological and socio-historical points of view. In particular, they become familiar with the evolution of museology and museography and the major international figures who have contributed to redefine the museum. They also develop useful skills to understand the relationship between museums and the city, as well as with their role in contemporary society.

Course contents

This course (30 hours, first semester – 6 CFU) offers a critical examination of the museum, exploring its recent transformations and the new challenges it faces in a rapidly changing society. It investigates how museums are redefining their missions by developing new typological and cultural models that respond to current cultural, economic, and social dynamics.

Grounded in the legacy of late 18th-century classificatory paradigm – while acknowledging its nationalist and imperial foundations – the course examines the museum as a space for the transmission, representation, and valorization of diverse forms of knowledge, narratives, and memories. It considers the museum’s power to preserve, exclude, or reshape what is transmitted, and the ways in which these choices shape collective identities.

Through case studies of Italian and international museums, the course explores the major issues facing contemporary museums from an expanded, interdisciplinary perspective – one that integrates social, philosophical, economic, and political dimensions in light of current cultural and historiographical debates.

Museums of natural history, anthropology, science, technology, history, and art will be analyzed through multiple critical frameworks, focusing on their institutional practices and modes of operation as viewed through the lenses of governance, colonialism, nationalism, class, gender, ethnicity, and community identity. Part of the course will be devoted to marginalized or overlooked histories and to the development of counter-narratives that encourage more inclusive approaches to heritage and collective memory.

The discussion will also focus on the ethical and social dimensions of the contemporary museum—its role in knowledge transmission, identity representation, and the promotion of cultural diversity.

The course will further examine how new digital technologies, forms of mediation, and modes of visitor engagement are reshaping the museum’s contribution to learning, well-being, social cohesion, and justice in contemporary society.

Readings/Bibliography

For the exam, students are expected to study at least two books from the list below: one from Section I and one from Section II.

Students who did not attend the course should supplement their preparation with an additional book from Section III.

Section I

- K. Pomian, Le Musée une Histoire Mondiale, vol. 3, Paris, Gallimard, 2022.

- D. Poulot, Musées en Europe, Paris, La documentation française, 2020.

- C. Saumarez Smith, The Art Museum in Modern Times, London, Thames and Hudson, 2021

Section II:

- M. Boucher, M. Fraser, J. Lamoureux (dir.), Réinventer la collection. L’art et le musée au temps de l'événementiel, Québec, Presses de l’université du Québec, 2023

- J. Endres, C. Zeller (eds.), Collecting in the Twenty-First Century: From Museums to the Web, Rochester, New York, Camden House, 2022

- N. MacGregor, À monde nouveau, nouveaux musées. Les musées, les monuments, et la communauté réinventée, Paris, Hazan-Musée du Louvre 2021

- A. Solène Rolland, H. Murauskaya H. (dir.), De nouveaux modèles de musées? Formes et enjeux des créations et rénovations de musées en Europe – XIXe-XXIe siècles, Paris, l’Harmattan, 2008

Section III:

- A. Bessette, J. Bessette, F. Dalex, V. Ferey, F. Mardrus (eds.), À la recherche du musée. Réflexions croisées en Histoire de l’art, Muséologie et Sociologie, Bristol, Peter Lang, 2023

- A. Gob, N. Drouguet (eds.), La muséologie: Histoire, développements, enjeux actuels, Paris, Armand Colin, 2025

- A. McClellan (ed.), Art and its publics: Museum Studies at the Millennium, Hoboken, Wiley, 2008.

Teaching methods

The course combines lectures with in-class discussions. Students are encouraged to complement their learning by visiting exhibitions, museums, galleries, and cultural or heritage sites.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of an oral interview designed to assess the specific knowledge acquired by the student. Students are expected to demonstrate a solid understanding of the course topics and the bibliography listed in the syllabus. Their critical thinking skills will also be evaluated.

1. Exams in which the student shows the ability to analyze questions and texts accurately and to integrate them into a coherent understanding of the course themes will receive excellent marks. A strong command of the disciplinary vocabulary used during the oral discussion is also essential.

2. Knowledge based primarily on memorization, with limited analytical depth and the use of language that is correct but not always precise, will result in satisfactory but not outstanding evaluations.

3. Partial or superficial knowledge, limited analytical and expressive skills, will lead to barely passing grades.

4. Significant gaps in understanding, expression, or familiarity with the bibliography will be assessed negatively.

Students with learning disabilities or with temporary or permanent physical conditions are advised to contact the university’s dedicated support service in advance (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it [https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it). The service will propose any necessary accommodations, which must be submitted at least 15 days before the exam for approval by the instructor, who will assess their suitability in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

Lectures are supplemented with PowerPoint presentations, videos, and other digital learning resources.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Cordera