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Coleman,
Fall 2019 MLIS, Ph.D.
lsc64@drexel.edu
(386)965-8208
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MUSEUM MANAGEMENT
This course will examine how museums are structured and the functions that different individuals perform. We will
study the activities of curators, conservators, registrars, educators, fund raisers and administrators and consider the ways in which
museums are organized and managed. 3 credit hours-Lecture/Discussion.
Course Purpose:
This is a required course in the Museum Leadership Program because it is an introduction to the way that museums
work and the audiences that they serve. Museums are complex organizations responsible to a diverse group of stakeholders each
of whom share in the ownership of these public service institutions. Successful museum leaders have a broad understanding of
the many skills needed to maintain and grow vibrant museums. In this course, we will collectively examine the responsibilities
and contributions of museum staff, trustees, members, donors, volunteers, outside consultants and vendors. Museum leaders must
act as conductors who bring together these various elements into “a place of wonder” where collections, research, buildings,
programs, experiences and entertainment all combine to serve diverse communities and to help build a civil society.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the general administrative structure of a standard, non-profit, museum.
2. Explain the use and value of different kinds of museum collections.
3. Explain how museums interpret collections and present educational programs.
4. Identify the different roles that museum professionals play and differentiate between them.
5. List the ways that museums manage their finances and prepare a simple budget.
6. List at least 5 major professional museum associations and describe their function.
7. Conduct oral presentations that are compelling and cohesive.
8. Plan and develop a program for a “start-up” museum.
Course Structure:
This course is divided into six lessons and an introduction. A week-by-week course schedule is available on Blackboard. The
weeks are as follows:
1
FALL TERM 2019
Assignments
Active & Prepared Participation in Class (in-person & online) 30 Points
Oral Presentations I (about museum types) 15 Points
Oral presentation II (about museum careers) 15 Points
Museum Visit 20 Points
Group Project (presentation and written assessment) 20 Points
Every student is required to participate in each Lesson’s Discussion Forum. This consists of an answer to the question
in each thread (there will be more than one thread for each lesson) and responses to at least TWO classmates' post in EACH
thread. This is the requirement for this class, however, you are welcome to start your own threads or post more than the
required amount. You must complete all the assigned readings each unit to participate effectively in the Discussion Forum. Try
to post early in the lesson so that we have time to build up a lively discussion. Please note that Discussion postings and
contributions that meet minimum requirements and/or are posted within a few hours of the deadline do not earn full points in
the category of Active Participation as outlined below in the Discussion Guidelines Grading Rubric. To earn full points you
need to spread out responses and engagement over the course of the week. Your initial post is due on Saturday, midnight, each
week and you will respond to your peers by midnight the following Tuesday. Please be sure to read all of the discussion posts
each lesson. To cite readings in your discussion posts you will need to use APA (Author, Date, Page #). So for example you
might write (Falk, 2009, p. 350).
1. Ambrose, T. & Paine, C. (2018). Museum Basics: The International Handbook. (4th Edition) New York, NY:
Routledge.
2. Genoways, H., Ireland, L. & Caitlin-Legutko, C. (2017). Museum Administration 2.0. Lanham, MD: Rowman
& Littlefield.
Technology Requirements. In order to fully participate in this class, you will need regular access to a computer and the Internet.
A substantial portion of our readings will be made available via the Course Reserves tab in Blackboard. Each week, please check
the reserves for additional readings. I recommend printing and placing in a 5 inch, three-ring binder. Yes, we will fill the binder by
the end of the course!
Technical Difficulties?
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Expectations Regarding Class Participation. This will be a highly participatory course. Students are expected to complete all
readings, participate actively in the online portions of the course, as well as during museum visits. Discussion and active
participation are expected each week that the course is in session.
Library Resources:
The Library is available to help students access online resources, develop search strategies, find scholarly sources, evaluate
information and more. www.library.drexel.edu/