Unit I: Introduction to Museum and Museology
- Definitions and concepts of museum, ecomuseum, community museum, virtual museum, neighborhood museum, etc.
- Definitions and concept of museology, new museology, meta museology, museography, etc.
- Early collections, ancient and medieval prototypes of museums. History, growth and development of museums in Indian and global context.
- Classification and types of museums.
- Functions and role of museums.
- Role of national and international professional organizations – Museums Association (U.K.), Museums Association of India, UNESCO, ICOM, ICCROM, Commonwealth Association of Museums, American Alliance of Museums, IASC, IIC, IUCN, UNESCO-ICOM Museum Information Center, etc.
- ICOM code of ethics.
Unit II: Collection Management
- Purposes of collecting. Scope of collections – tangible and intangible.
- Ethics of collecting. Collection management policy including acquisitions,disposal, loaning, insurance, etc.
- Methods of collecting tangible and intangible heritage.
- Methods of authenticating museum objects.
- Collection holding areas for tangible and intangible collections – accessibility, retrieval, storage systems and preventive conservation measures.
- Collection security. Guidelines for handling, packing and transporting collections.
Unit III: Documentation and Research of Tangible and Intangible Collections
- Purposes of documenting museum collections
- Ethics of documentation.
- Documentation policy and procedures.
- Types of documents – entry, accession, classified, and movement registers; index and catalogue cards. Digital documentation.
- Numbering the objects – numbering systems, procedure of applying numbers on objects. Barcoding.
- Documentation standards – format of various types of documents. Use of standard terminology. Concept of Object ID.
- Objectives and scope of collection research. Models of collection research.
Unit IV: Museum Exhibitions
- Museum exhibition as a communication system. Models of communication in the context of exhibitions.
- Exhibition policy.
- Ethics of exhibitions.
- Types of exhibitions on the basis of duration, location, arrangement of objects/ specimen and purpose.
- Components of exhibitions – objects/ specimen, communication media, text, exhibition furniture and accessories. Spatial and other relationships between exhibit components.
- Exhibition text – Types of labels, assessing reading and comprehensibility of text, typography, designing and preparation of labels.
- Exhibition lighting – Basic considerations while using light, types of light sources, different types of lamps, recent trends: fibre optics, track lighting, computer-controlled lighting.
- Planning and designing exhibitions – stages of planning; exhibition brief; using principles of design, ergonomics, colour, texture and light in exhibitions. Orientation. Circulation of visitors. Signage. Use of multi-media.
- Designing exhibition furniture, dioramas, and historical settings.
- Evaluation – front-end analysis, formative and summative evaluation.
Unit V: Museum Education, Interpretation and Publications
- Role and potential of museums in informal, non-formal and formal education/ learning.
- Museums and life long learning. Barriers to learning in museums. Education versus interpretation.
- Ethics of museum education.
- Museum education policy. Theories of learning. Characteristics of learning in museums.
- Various learning activities such as guides tours, lectures, talks, storytelling, workbooks, workshops, demonstrations, drama, role play, live interpretation, digital methods, etc. for different target groups.
- Making learning opportunities accessible to persons with disabilities.
- Museum extension services – travelling and mobile exhibitions, school loan kits, community programmes, excursions, field trips, heritage walks, etc. Extension through digital media.
- Museum publication – purpose and types.
- Feedback – purposes and methods.
Unit VI: Conservation of Collections — Part I
- Definitions of conservation – preventive, remedial and restoration. Terminology used in conservation.
- Nature and properties of material of collections – organic, inorganic and composite. Susceptibility of materials to different agents of decay.
- Ethics of conservation.
- Conservation policy. Conservation audit.
- Causes and types of deterioration – environmental: effects of light, humidity, temperature and pollution; biological: fungi, insects, rodents and birds; human – carelessness, mishandling and wrong treatment; disasters: fire, flood, earthquake, arson, etc.
- Preventive conservation: significance and effectiveness, and implementation in storage, exhibitions and transit through
- Environmental control – monitoring of light and UV radiations, R.H., Temperature and pollutants and application of control measures. Tools and equipments used in monitoring and control.
- Integrated Pest Management – identification, control and termination of pests. Various fungicides, insecticides and rodenticides used in IPM.
- Good practices of Housekeeping and Rules of handling museum objects. Tools, materials and equipments used in housekeeping and handling.
Unit VII: Conservation of Collections — Part II
- Methodology of remedial conservation – techniques of examination, diagnosis of type and extent of decay, documentation and testing of probable treatments, treatment of objects using suitable materials and method. Recommendations for preventive care.
- Materials, equipment, tools and techniques used in remedial conservation of following materials –
- Paper and archival materials
- Paintings on different substrate such as wall, canvas, paper, wood, textiles, palm leaf etc.
- Textiles and costumes
- Wood, skin material, bone, horn and ivory
- Metallic objects made of iron, copper, bronze and silver
- Stone objects
- Ceramic and glass
- Biological specimens
- Health and safety issues.
Unit VIII: Museum Management
- Concept of Management: Foundations and evolution, Essential components of management, decision making and leadership.
- Functions of management:
- Planning: Types of plans – Vision and mission statements, objectives, policies, Procedures, rules, strategies, action plans, and contingency plans. Planning process, MBO, Strategic planning, Use of Critical Path method and Simple Bar method in planning.
- Organization Design – staff structures, job descriptions, authority and responsibilities.
- Staffing – Framing recruitment rules, methods of recruitment, training and development of human resource. Performance appraisal.
- Controlling — process and methods of control.
- Financing — sources of fund generation, Budget and budgeting
- Project Management.
- Prevention of harassment in work place.
- Museum security – Risk assessment and management. Manual, physical and electronic security. Security procedures. Fire safety.
- Disaster management – preparation, prevention, response and recovery.
Unit IX: Museum Marketing and Public Relations
- Meaning and purpose of marketing and its role in museums. Marketing terminology.
- Concept and types of products. Product Life cycle and marketing strategies at different stages. Museum as a multiproduct organization and a service.
- Segmentation and target marketing – significance, bases and approaches.
- Marketing Mix – Product, Price, Promotion and Place: significance, tools and strategies.
- Marketing Research – purpose, types and methods.
- Marketing versus Public Relations. Definitions and significance of Public Relations. Foundational Principles of Public relations.
- Tools, tactics and strategies of Public Relations. Media relations. Public relations campaigns.
Unit X: Legislation and Conventions Related to Museums and Heritage
- The Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878
- The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
- The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972
- The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972
- Persons with disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995
- Right to information Act, 2005
- UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 1972
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), 1973
- The Venice Charter, 1964
- The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003
Ref.: ugcnetonline.in