Museums and the Shaping of Knowledge

by Eilean Hooper-Greenhill

Book Overview

Drawing on numerous case studies, Hooper-Greenhill presents a critical survey of major changes in current assumptions about the nature of museums, and proves that museums are consciously organizing... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415070317
• ISBN13: 9780415070317
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

good introduction to museums

I found this to be a good introduction to the history of museums and collecting, which really got at the idea of how collecting and displaying art is about far more than aesthetics. In fact, it made me re-think some of my assumptions about museums. For instance, museums have not always been seen as public places. And, as the author points out, even public museums convey someone's interpretations of the objects on view. The person who controls the museum controls the way the public thinks about art and history. It was really an eye-opening book. I don't think I'll look at museums in the same way again.

A Pioneer For Change

Museums And The Shaping Of Knowledge raises many questions about what a museum is and its role in society. At first the book seems excesively dependent on Foucault, and is somewhat repetitious. However, Eilean Hooper-Greenhill, is exploring new territory writing in the early 90's. In the end, her exploration comes together and produces a text that may influence museum studies for quite some time.