General

Question 1

What’s Dutch sociologist, F.J.C. Nuyens’, definition of a museum?

Unit 1

Answer 1

• place which invites, in a special way, to contemplation and musing about our humanly strive after truth, goodness and beauty.
  -reinforce at the other side the experience of our mysterious relationship and linking with the Imperishable.

Question 2

What is museology?

Unit 1

Answer 2

theory/examination of museums

Question 3

What is museography?

Unit 1

Answer 3

practice/application of museum theory

Question 4

Describe the mousieon at Alexandria, Egypt.

Unit 1

Answer 4

It was called the Temple of the Muses and was founded by Ptolemy Soter. It protected objects/documents threatened by political turmoil; considered the corpus of Classical learning.

Question 5

What was the role of royal patronage in ancient “museums”?

Unit 1

Answer 5

It contributed to building/funding temples, collections of art, librariers, zoos, and botanical gardens, etc.

Question 6

Describe the Library of Celsus.

Unit 1

Answer 6

Founded in 2nd century AD by a Roman consul. Possessed 12,000 scrolls and was decorated w/ statues of wisdom, science, virtue, and knowledge.

Question 7

Describe Library of Hadrian.

Unit 1

Answer 7

Built by Emperor Hadrian in Athens. The collection and copying of manuscripts were a source of prestige.

Question 8

What’s the importance of the stupa?

Unit 2

Answer 8

They can contain a type of relic, like bodily remains, cult belongings of a holy person, or they can mark a sacred space. Worship of this place/relic can earn a worshipper merit.

Question 9

What’s the importance of Christian relics?

Unit 2

Answer 9

The veneration of them is based off the belief that everything in the universe was in God’s hands and it was up to the saints to protect that belief. These relics are meant to portray the individual.

Question 10

Describe the functions of a monastery.

Unit 2

Answer 10

Monks/nuns live in them communally. Emphasis on work/study created a self-sufficient community. They had all the neccessary facilities for daily life and would profit off of selling illustrated manuscripts to private patrons. They would also borrow maunscripts from other religious houses to make their own volumes.

Question 11

What’s the nature/purpose of cabinets of curiosity?

Unit 2

Answer 11

They were meant to elevate the prestige/self-identity/satus of their owners and provoke an interest in scholarship and learning.

Question 12

What are some ways cabinets of curiosity were organized?

Unit 2

Answer 12

-They were organized in a way that tried to find the order/hierarchy of God’s creations/prove a divine presence
-classified into different categories (ex: naturalia, miracula)
-organized according to Aristotle’s identification of the four primry elements: water, air, earth, and fire

Question 13

Who was the Medici family?

Unit 2

Answer 13

A wealthy Reniassance family who were prominent collectors and shaped the arts/culture of Florence, Italy. They used their palazzo building as their home/business.

Question 14

Describe the Medici Palazzo

Unit 2

Answer 14

Much of their collection was displayed in the courtyard and in the premises. Purchased by the Riccardi family in the 16th century. Medici collections were open to public in 1582.

Question 15

United Kingdom’s Museum Association’s definition of a museum?

Unit 3

Answer 15

-enables exploration of inspiration, enjoyment, and learning
-collects, safeguards, and makes artifacts and specimens accessible for society

Question 16

Canadian Museum Association’s definition of a museum?

Unit 3

Answer 16

-created in public interest
-aquire, preserve, research, interpret, and exhibit tangible and intangible evidence of society and nature
-provides a physical forum for critical inquiry and investigation

Question 17

American Alliance of Museums’ definition of a museum?

Unit 3

Answer 17

-organized and non-profit institution
-professional staff
-cares for objects and exhibits them for the public on a regular schedule

Question 18

What are consistent patterns in what makes a museum a museum?

Unit 3

Answer 18

-“public” is present and engages w/ the museum
-activites done by a trained staff
-collecting, cataloguing, and caring for collections and interpreting them for the public
-physical location for the museum
-whether its for profit or non-profit
-education as a core function

Question 19

Museum as a masoleum?

Unit 3

Answer 19

old things; find yourself as an aesthete or scholar, place connected to the past, silent experience for the visitor

Question 20

Museum as a machine?

Unit 3

Answer 20

not mechanical, but productive; go to be transformed, to learn about the present, emerge educated/changed; a place of quiet, significant instruction

Question 21

Museum as a metaphor?

Unit 3

Answer 21

extravagent, flamboyant, dramatic, romantic,; doesn’t look for an audience bbut gives us a central arena of socialbility

Question 22

Museum as a mall?

Unit 3

Answer 22

devoted to pleasure, overcrowded, overmerchandised, the collection becomes a commodity

Question 23

Museum as mindful?

Unit 3

Answer 23

aware of itself; it’s about the objects it contains; objects are intrinsic to the experience, encourges conversation but doesn’t force info

Question 24

Who works in the museum administration?

Unit 4

Answer 24

-CEO/Director
-Development Office
-Grant Writer
-Financial Officer
-HR Office
-Web Designer
-Membership Director
-Volunteer/Docent Coordinator
-Volunteers

Question 25

Who works in collections managment? | Unit 4

Answer 25

-Archivist -Collections Managar/Registrar -Curator -Information Technologist -Preparator -Photographer

Question 26

Who works in collections care? | Unit 4

Answer 26

Conservators and conservator technicians

Question 27

Who works in outreach and exhibitions? | Unit 4

Answer 27

-educator -educational program developer -exhibition developer -artist -carpenter -designer

Question 28

What's the "big tent" approach that the AAM takes with museums? | Unit 3

Answer 28

If an organization considers itself a museum, then it's within the tent of what could be considered a museum. Includes all manner of orgs whether it be non-profit, for profit, collections based or non-collections based, etc.

Question 29

How do museums serve the public? | Unit 3

Answer 29

They are supposed to hold their collections in "the public trust" and stay loyal to their missions to keep public confidence in them. They must follow a code of ethics to uphold this.

Question 30

What was the first code of ethics for museums? | Unit 3

Answer 30

the "Code of Ethics for Museum Workers", established in 1925 by the American Association of Museums. There is also the ICOM code, mostly followed by non-US museums.

Question 31

What's a controversial issue that museums are now facing? | Unit 3

Answer 31

Whether or not to take a greater part in social responsibility. Some museums use their collections and goal of education to turn themselves in a question-asking entity, some purposefully adress social issues, and some keep themselves in the local sphere.

Question 32

What is museum studies? | Unit 3

Answer 32

It's a combination of museology and museography. Explores the notion of museum worl/studies as a science.

Question 33

Six characteristics of museum studies? | Unit 3

Answer 33

1. Inherently interdisciplinary 2. combination of theory and application 3. acknowledges that museum work goes largely unappreciated 4. community is small/close-knit, and subdivided into many traditional categories 5. networking and free/open sharing of information 6. strives for transparency and accountability

Question 34

What's the importance of physical resources/collections in a museum? | Unit 3

Answer 34

B/c institutions MUST have or use objects, provide public access to these objects in some way, and be open to presenting them to the public on a regualr basis to even be considered a museum.

Question 35

Why even consider different types of museums? | Unit 3

Answer 35

-can help museum workers to identify peer institutions to collaborate with -funding agenices can make sure their funds are being allocated properly -useful for the public in deciding what kind of museum they want to visit

Question 36

What's been the biggest change to modern museums over the years? | Unit 3

Answer 36

Specialization. It happend when museums got bigger in size and scope; made it hard to keep broadly collecting all manner of objects and keep up with the expertise needed to present them to the public

Question 37

What percentage of musuems are private? | Unit 3

Answer 37

60%

Question 38

Describe an art museum | Unit 3

Answer 38

-usually have little text in exhibit labels, only identifying the object -collected objects are usually unique and irreplaceable -collections are usually small compared to staff size -based on aesthetic philosophy and critical reflections of nature and appreciation of art's place in culture

Question 39

Describe a history museum | Unit 3

Answer 39

-usually focused on a geographic region or specific time/event -collected objects are intended to document important people, places, events, etc. -used more for exhibition and documentation than actual research -many are small, community enterprises -bigger ones usually have bigger collections compared to staff size

Question 40

Describe a natural history/anthropology museum | Unit 3

Answer 40

-collections of objects/specimens used mainly for research and scholarly use -specimens chosen for exhibition are chosen because they are typical/representative, NOT unique -collections are super big compared to staff size -in the category of traditional, discipline-based museums

Question 41

Describe a specialized museum | Unit 3

Answer 41

-function as museum systems built around a meaningful physical resource to transmit ideas to a public -most of these are private museums -some are based on humor, but some are a serious critique of culture -ex: Museum of Menstration, Museum of Bad Art, Historic Voodoo Museum, etc.

Question 42

Describe small, medium, and large museum classifications | Unit 3

Answer 42

-there's really no standard on what constitutes large vs. small -size could refer to budget, staff size, size of collections, or physical boundaries of the museum property -Accreditation Committee of the AAM classifies museums based on budget

Question 43

Describe a children's museum | Unit 3

Answer 43

-1st of this kind was the Brooklyn Children Museum in 1899 -bright, colorful places w/ lots of interactive exhibits and activity areas -very few maintain significant, permanent collections

Question 45

What are characteristics of excellence related to GOVERNANCE in a museum? | Unit 4

Answer 45

-governance structures of staff and volunteer all advance the mission -all staff/volunteers have a clear understanding of their responsibilities + roles -all staff/volunteers carry out their roles effectively and ethically -the staff's qualifications enable them to carry out the museum's mission/goals -ensurance that there's a clear divide of responsibilities between museum's governing authority and any group supporting the museum

Question 46

Why is good governance important in a museum? | Unit 4

Answer 46

The museum's governing authority and director effectively set the museum in motion, managing resources that ensure its mission and hold the museum accountable to the public

Question 47

How is good governance implemented in a museum? | Unit 4

Answer 47

-by determining the museum's mission -selecting the chief executive and evaluating their performance -ensuring there's adequate planning and sufficient resources -managing resources effectively -ensuring intergity and legal accountability

Question 48

What documentation do museums need to have good governance? | Unit 4

Answer 48

-mission statement -articles of incorporation -charter -bylaws -constitution -enabling legistlation

Question 49

What are a museum's standards regarding interpretation and education? | Unit 4

Answer 49

-stating its educational goals, philosophy, and messages -understands the needs of existing and potential audiences -interpretative content is based on appropriate research -research is based on scholarly standards -uses techniques, technologies, and methods appropriate to its goals -present accurate and appropriate content for its audiences -consistent high quality in its interpretive activities -assesses the effectiveness of said activities

Question 50

What is a conservator? | Unit 6

Answer 50

a qualified specialist in the scientific care and treatment of museum objects and specimens

Question 51

What is preventative conservation? | Unit 6

Answer 51

the processes by which a museum’s collections are stored, handled, displayed and maintained in ways that do not lead to deterioration and the need for remedial conservation

Question 52

What is remedial conservation? | Unit 6

Answer 52

the processes involved in repairing damage to collections, using specialist conservation techniques that are reversible. The need for remedial conservation is often due to poor collections management and inadequate preventive conservation measures

Question 53

What are threats that can affect museum collections? | Unit 6

Answer 53

-people -disasters -relative humidity -temperature -light -pests -pollutants -storage and display materials