New Museum Theory and Practice

Janet Marstine is an art historian who has taught at Bowdoin College and Central Washington University. She has curated several exhibitions and is now working on new approaches to student and faculty exhibitions.

“This is an ambitious book, setting out as it does to explore the gamut of ‘new’ museum theory and practice. The essays in this book are diverse, but together they suggest virtually all of the recent major intellectual and political shifts within the museum world.” (Museum Anthropology, Summer 2008) “This book is inspiring and ... offers an excellent vision of why and how the museum will matter more in the 21st century.” (Muse)

• List of Figures viiiPreface: How to Use this Book xAcknowledgments xiiIntroduction 1Janet MarstinePart I Defining New Museum Theory 37A Surveys and Groundwork 391 Editor’s Introduction 41THE ARCHITECTURE IS THE MUSEUM 41Michaela GiebelhausenQuestions for Discussion 602 Editor’s Introduction 64FEMINIST CURATORIAL STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES SINCE THE 1970s 65Katy DeepwellQuestions for Discussion 803 Editor’s Introduction 85NEW ART, NEW CHALLENGES: THE CHANGING FACE OF CONSERVATION IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY 86Rachel Barker and Patricia SmithenQuestions for Discussion 103B Case Studies in Contemporary Practice 1074 Editor’s Introduction 109HOW WE STUDY HISTORY MUSEUMS: OR CULTURAL STUDIES AT MONTICELLO 109Eric GableQuestions for Discussion 1265 Editor’s Introduction 129SPECTACLE AND DEMOCRACY: EXPERIENCE MUSIC PROJECT AS A POST-MUSEUM 130Chris BruceQuestions for Discussion 1496 Editor’s Introduction 152REVEALING AND CONCEALING: MUSEUMS, OBJECTS, AND THE TRANSMISSION OF KNOWLEDGE IN ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA 153Moira G. SimpsonQuestions for Discussion 1747 Editor’s Introduction 178RESTRUCTURING SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUMS: REALITY AND RHETORIC WITHIN CAPE TOWN 179Julie L. McGeeQuestions for Discussion 196Part II Looking to the Future: Theory into Practice 2018 Editor’s Introduction 203THE CRITICAL MUSEUM VISITOR 203Margaret LindauerQuestions for Discussion 2239 Editor’s Introduction 226VISITING THE VIRTUAL MUSEUM: ART AND EXPERIENCE ONLINE 226Lianne McTavishQuestions for Discussion 24410 Editor’s Introduction 247REFRAMING STUDIO ART PRODUCTION AND CRITIQUE 248Helen KlebesadelQuestions for Discussion 26311 Editor’s Introduction 266THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AND GALLERY: A SITE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CRITIQUE AND A FOCUS OF THE CURRICULUM 267Lyndel King and Janet MarstineQuestions for Discussion 28812 Editor’s Introduction 292MUSEUM ARCHIVES AS RESOURCES FOR SCHOLARLY RESEARCH AND INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY 293Lois Marie FinkQuestions for Discussion 306Bibliography 308Index 322