Treasure Houses: History, Art, and Architecture of Museums

Course Code: 1XTH10A22

Start Date: 12/09/2022

• Monday

Session: Afternoon

Length in weeks: 10

Time: 1.45-3.45

Price: £

Museums have been with us since ancient times. They developed into private Cabinets of Curiosities, which in turn led to the first modern public museum being formed in 1677, the Ashmolean in Oxford. All over the world museums house the most remarkable collections, which often reflect the interests of the period in which they were collected. We will look at some of the most outstanding museums, their collections, and buildings. In recent years the very purpose of museums, to collect, preserve, interpret, and display has been challenged, and we will also look at some of the debates and controversies that face our museums today, and where museums might be heading in the future.