Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture MA

This module focuses on key topics that are fundamental to the discipline of museum and gallery studies. It engages with current debates being addressed by professionals in the sector and with the pressing issues that are facing arts and cultural institutions. These topics range from the changing role of organisations as public bodies and what their responsibilities are, to working in a post-recession economy where public funding is diminishing, to the ethics of sponsorship from the private sector. It will address topical issues such as the inclusivity and accessibility of organisations to audiences with disabilities and how museums deal with claims for the repatriation of artefacts to other countries.

You'll take either the MA Dissertation or the MA Project:

MA Dissertation

Development, execution, and writing-up of an independent research project on a topic chosen by you. You'll attend regular research seminars. Individual supervision will provide topic-specific guidance.

MA Project

Development, execution, and writing-up of a practice-based research project on a topic chosen by you involving practical work in a creative or professional capacity. You'll attend regular research seminars. Individual supervision will provide topic-specific guidance.

This module examines how art institutions define their roles and priorities within the contemporary art world. The module examines the practices of a range of different organisations, including public museums and galleries, independent galleries, artist-run spaces and other exhibition venues. It provides historical context for thinking about the relationship between art institutions and society. It explores how temporary exhibitions are researched and planned, how museum collections are displayed, how public programmes are devised and how museums and galleries engage with their audiences. While London-focused, the issues explored are applicable in many other contexts. Classes include visits to museums and galleries and, where relevant, invited speakers.

Collections lie at the heart of a museum, often shaping its historical development, and its evolution as a modern institution. Collections cross into every area of museum work: from interpretation and exhibitions, to conservation and collections management, digitization and information management. This module is taught through case studies of contemporary collecting practices at museums, as well as key theoretical approaches from museum studies, material cultural studies, sociology, digital humanities anthropology and archaeology. It examines the journey that an object takes from being proposed by curators to acceptance into a collection, accessioning, conservation and storage, with items ranging from archaeological artefacts like Roman coins to modern clothing and digital material. It also considers the ethical, sustainability, strategic and policy issues in the various stages of this process, both from a historical and contemporary perspective.

This module introduces you to the practical and theoretical issues of using archives for the purposes of research or exhibition. With privileged access to the unique collections of the University of Westminster Archive, the module combines knowledge from the professional practice of archiving and from key archival theorists.

This module looks in detail at the practical and conceptual steps involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of contemporary photographic exhibitions, and of associated programmes of events and activities. Through case studies at The Photographers’ Gallery and other London-based spaces such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Atlas Gallery, the module will explore methods of display and audience engagement with new forms of photographic practice. You'll learn from a range of professionals working in the field who will present a variety of contemporary approaches to curating and public programming.

This module focuses on issues of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the UK and globally, expanding knowledge beyond museums and galleries. It looks at the processes of heritage making, the politics and uses of heritage across the world, and the concepts, theories, and the practices of heritage creation. The focus of the module is on heritage’s link to the cultural and creative industries, including tourism and instances of untold or overlooked narratives in the sector. It considers, for example, the role of UNESCO; living heritage including sounds and smells; sports; festivals and carnivals; parks; walking tours; dark heritage, and mega events (such as the Cultural Olympiad and the European Capital of Culture) in order to develop your critical and creative thinking skills as well as professional capabilities. It encourages engagement with case examples and sources whilst reflecting on personal experiences of heritage and cultural interests.

This module is a critical exploration of the structure of the culture and heritage sector, the different kinds of institutions represented within it (e.g., large galleries, heritage sites, small local authority museums), and their relationships with political bodies, funders, and the leisure and tourism industry. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the management and governance structures of cultural and heritage institutions, the professional roles within the sector, and how different institutions manage resources, fundraise and manage projects. The module also considers significant management-specific challenges such as how to oversee and build diverse workforces and the emotional labour involved. You'll further gain the active listening, teamwork, and digital and communication skills necessary for professional work in the sector.

This module looks in detail at the way that museums develop content for the public. Through case studies at London-based museums, you will discuss the many ways that museum exhibitions are constructed, how texts and displays are designed and why understanding audiences is central to developing effective museum narratives. This module will explore a wide range of subject areas, including archaeology, social history and fashion, to reveal the curatorial challenges of interpretation and display. This module will also consider the role of museums in learning and education, and the techniques they use to engage and understand their audiences. The module will include guest speakers who will present a variety of contemporary approaches to curating, interpretation and audience engagement.

This module examines the issues and practices involved in presenting non-western cultures to a diverse audience through visual practices and you will look at how representation produces meaning. Key issues explored include: postcolonialism; globalisation; the relationship between photography and ideology; the ethics of representation; the birth of the museum; contemporary roles of western cultural institutions; and audiences as citizens and consumers.

Social justice, participation, and inclusivity are key concerns for contemporary arts organisations and museums. This module considers why social justice and equality have become central concerns for the sector and an opportunity for important knowledge exchange. It introduces you to the ways in which organisations and institutions conceptualise their relationship with the public, and how the public can be incorporated into these spaces. This module thus introduces you to representational projects in which community groups, arts organisations, sites of memory, museums, and monuments co-create with groups who have been impacted by the sector's social value. It explores how approaches to social justice topics are contextualised by social, political debates beyond the museum and gallery sector and how this also enables museums and galleries to forge innovative and mutually-beneficial partnerships and networks. By critically examining co-designed and co-produced projects which challenge social exclusion, you will learn how participation and representation require structures and methods which enable all involved to contribute in a meaningful way.

In this module you can gain first-hand experience of working within a professional context. You'll undertake a placement of 110 hours (or three weeks) as a voluntary position in an arts or culture organisation. You'll also submit a report about the job and the sector you've worked in.