Course Description
Learn about and explore issues concerning preservation, accession/de-accession, databases, and display of historic clothing and textiles in museums and galleries. Introduction to collection management, exhibitions, educational use, funding, and publicity. The class will do research in the Historic Clothing and Textiles collection that is housed in the Special Collections Library.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will develop a detailed project that is portfolio-ready demonstrating their competence and understanding of the content with a level of complexity and field research beyond the expectations of the undergraduate students. This report will systematically analyze and explore an advanced topic related to the course content in one area of specialization. Course assessments will require graduate students to write double the length of undergraduate students and cite primarily academic journal articles, with double the number of undergraduate citations gathered.
Athena Title
Museum Intro Clothing and Text
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Learn about proper textile preservation, conservation, and storage 2. Execute basic techniques in the design and preparation of historic clothing and flat textiles exhibits 3. Discuss the multifaceted and interdisciplinary environment of museums/galleries in the twenty-first century 4. Learn about budget issues, including fundraising, grants, and sponsors 5. Define concepts and vocabulary of museums and galleries 6. Understand museum and collections occupations, professional societies, and management personnel systems 7. Learn about registration and cataloging practices with donor information and data-basing 8. Explore procedures for item requisitioning, working with donors, and de-accessioning 9. Research key exhibitions, archives, and museum professionals 10. Research in the Historic Clothing and Textiles collection
Topical Outline
1. Textile preservation, conservation, and storage 2. Basic techniques in design and preparation for historic clothing and flat textiles exhibits 3. Interdisciplinary environment of museums/galleries in the twenty-first century 4. Budget issues, including fundraising, grants, and sponsors 5. Concepts and vocabulary of museums and galleries 6. Museum and collections occupations, professional societies, and management personnel systems 7. Registration and cataloging practices with donor information and data-basing 8. Procedures for item acquisition, work with donors, and de-accessioning