Museology and museum studies programs in the United States : Part one

Abstract

Three specific precepts of importance characterize museum training programs in the United States. They involve historical development of the programs; division by academic discipline, and universal disclaimer. It is relatively easy to compartmentalize museum training programs for they generally follow the social and economic activities of the nation, and can be neatly divided into two periods: historic and contemporary. Further, they are easily divided as to training discipline: science, education, history or art. Lastly, the American Association of Museums (AAM), the organization which speaks for the profession, is unwilling to declare any one training method or avenue to museum administrative careers as the best, citing academic and nontraditional training alongside formal museum studies program training as being equal in appropriateness. In the United States, museum training programs are called almost uniformly ‘museum studies’ programs, and not ‘museology’ programs as they are in Europe and elsewhere. The connotations of the word ‘museology’ have developed strong philosophical associations, as opposed to the more concrete and programmatic definition of ‘museum studies’. Although a few university museum training programs still retain the degree designation of museology, the academic discipline is now almost universally known as museum studies, and this distinction should be made clear, especially when relating to an audience outside the United States of America. The history of museum studies programs in the United States can be neatly compartmentalized into two eras : the historic (1900 to 1969) and the contemporary (1970 to the present). This is Part One of an article which concerns the historic period and outlines those training courses developed by museums, universities and other institutions which have served as prototypes and inspiration for our contemporary programs, though few of the early programs exist today. Also listed for reference are current programs which are offered by universities. (A full discussion of these will appear later-Part Two of this article will discuss university or college graduate training programs for history, science and art museum personnel in greater detail, and compare historic and contemporary models.) In addition to the ill-fated training program of the American Association of Museums, there were five early science-oriented museum studies training programs of note, together with three art history affiliated programs, and four notable programs initiated by art museums. While these programs continued with varying degrees of participation and success into the 194Os, it was the decade of the 1970s which saw the major change in the philosophy of museum studies programs. Several factors combined then to change the focus and importance of museums in the United States: with the availability of