This course introduces students to museums as global institutions, emerging out of 18th and 19th century Western Europe and, later, the United States. As such, they reflect a historic and culturally specific set of values about how to organize and share knowledge. The course will interrogate these knowledge systems and how they have evolved over time, both on the European continent and across the globe.

Have you ever been to a museum and wondered how the objects got there? How are they kept safe? And who decides how to display them? In Global Museum Practice: London students will find answers to these questions in the galleries and behind-the-scenes of some of the world's most significant museums, including the British Museum; The Victoria and Albert Museum; The Tate; and many others. Over the course of ten days, students will visit ten institutions, immersing themselves in the world of museum practice. They will analyze both contemporary and historic museum practice and meet professionals in the field. Along the way, they will also interrogate the systems of power that underpin museums as institutions and learn to think critically about practices of collection and display that are influenced by colonialism, corporate philanthropy, and other systems of power.

Along with these academic pursuits, students will have the opportunity to enjoy the museums on their own terms, as international visitors; tour public art in London; and sample other elements of the culture of this amazing global city, including its theatre and food.