Cultural Treasures of London: A Journey Through Time

Through visits to ten of London’s most important institutions, this module will examine the development of how institutions curate culture from Renaissance ‘cabinets of curiosities’ to the modern ‘white cube’ gallery space. The module will equip students with the historical, theoretical, and practical knowledge necessary for studying culture through institutional collections. The class will analyse the techniques and practices museums use to collect, organise, and display their objects; we will consider the messages these institutions send through their architecture, patronage, and methods of display; and we will delve into some of the most important issues affecting cultural institutions today like decolonisation, repatriation, and social impact. Aside from the introductory class, the module will take place off campus, with seminar groups visiting a different institution in each meeting.

Course leader

Dr Chloe Ward

Target group

Undergraduates

Course aim

• To introduce students to London’s museum collections.
• To present a critical overview of the key theories, approaches, and debates relevant to museums, their collections, and their displays.
• To provide opportunities for students to apply and examine these theories, approaches, and debates during class sessions in a variety of museum spaces.