When we teach with objects in a museum, we are building on the museum’s history of collecting and curatorial decision-making. That history shapes what’s available for study and teaching, the way it’s presented, and, to some extent, the stories that can be told. This workshop will offer a peek behind the curtain at museum practices to reveal the assumptions that go into collecting and display. What makes an object museum-worthy? How do museum rules about presentation shape storytelling? How can teachers find out more about collections and their history? How might we use museum history to teach with objects? This session will be facilitated by Steven Lubar, Professor of American Studies, History, and History of Art and Architecture and is part of the Sheridan Center-RISD Museum collaborative series on teaching with objects. Space is limited. Please register.
