Museums in Motion

An Introduction to the History and Functions of Museums, Third Edition

Edward P. Alexander; Mary Alexander and Juilee Decker

Here is a complete introduction to the history of museums, types of museums, and the key roles that museums play in the twenty-first century.

Following an introductory chapter looking at what a museum is today, Part I looks at the history and types of museums:

art and design museums
natural history and anthropology museums
science museums
history museums, historic houses, interpretation centers, and heritage sites
botanical gardens and zoos
children’s museums

The second part of the book explores the primary functions of museums and museum professionals:

to collect
to conserve
to exhibit
to interpret and to engage
to serve and to act

The final chapter looks at the museum profession and professional practices. Throughout, emphasis is on museums in the United States, although attention is paid to the historical framing of museums within the European context.

The new edition includes discussions of technology, access, and inclusivity woven into each chapter, a list of challenges and opportunities in each chapter, and “Museums in Motion Today,” vignettes spread throughout the volume in which museum professionals provide their perspectives on where museums are now and where they are going. More than 140 images illustrate the volume.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers / AASLH

Pages: 390 • Trim: 7¼ x 10⅜

978-1-4422-7879-0 • Hardback • February 2017 • $129.00 • (£99.00)

978-1-4422-7880-6 • Paperback • February 2017 • $60.00 • (£46.00)

978-1-4422-7881-3 • eBook • February 2017 • $57.00 • (£44.00)

Series: American Association for State and Local History

Subjects: Business & Economics / Museum Administration & Museology

Courses: Museum Studies; General, Museum Studies; Historical Museums & Local History

Museums in Motion

An Introduction to the History and Functions of Museums, Third Edition

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Here is a complete introduction to the history of museums, types of museums, and the key roles that museums play in the twenty-first century.

Following an introductory chapter looking at what a museum is today, Part I looks at the history and types of museums:

art and design museums
natural history and anthropology museums
science museums
history museums, historic houses, interpretation centers, and heritage sites
botanical gardens and zoos
children’s museums

The second part of the book explores the primary functions of museums and museum professionals:

to collect
to conserve
to exhibit
to interpret and to engage
to serve and to act

The final chapter looks at the museum profession and professional practices. Throughout, emphasis is on museums in the United States, although attention is paid to the historical framing of museums within the European context.

The new edition includes discussions of technology, access, and inclusivity woven into each chapter, a list of challenges and opportunities in each chapter, and “Museums in Motion Today,” vignettes spread throughout the volume in which museum professionals provide their perspectives on where museums are now and where they are going. More than 140 images illustrate the volume.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers / AASLH

Pages: 390 • Trim: 7¼ x 10⅜

978-1-4422-7879-0 • Hardback • February 2017 • $129.00 • (£99.00)

978-1-4422-7880-6 • Paperback • February 2017 • $60.00 • (£46.00)

978-1-4422-7881-3 • eBook • February 2017 • $57.00 • (£44.00)

Series: American Association for State and Local History

Subjects: Business & Economics / Museum Administration & Museology

Courses: Museum Studies; General, Museum Studies; Historical Museums & Local History

Author

Edward Porter Alexander’s illustrious museum career extended from 1934-1978. In recognition of his contributions to the field, The American Alliance of Museums added him to their Centennial Honor Roll in 2006.

Mary Alexander has been a museum educator and administrator for nearly fifty years. She was associate editor for Museum Education Anthology (1984) and co-authored Museums: Places of Learning (1998) with George Hein.

Juilee Decker is an associate professor of Museum Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where she teaches courses focusing on museums and technology. She has served as editor for Innovative Approaches for Museums, a four-volume series focusing on technology and digital initiatives, engagement and access, collections care and stewardship, and fundraising and strategic planning (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015). Since 2008, she has served as editor of Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals, a peer-reviewed journal published by Rowman & Littlefield.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
In Memoriam: Edward P. Alexander, 1907–2003
Preface to the Third Edition
Table of Abbreviations
1What Is a Museum?
Museums in Motion Today: Monica O. Montgomery
Museums in Motion Today: Vickie Stone, Terri Anderson, Emily Houf

Part I:HISTORY
Introduction to Part I
Museums in Motion Today: Julie Decker
Museums in Motion Today: Meghan Ferriter
Museums in Motion Today: Tracey Berg-Fulton

2Art & Design Museums
Museums in Motion Today: Joanne Heyler

3Natural History & Anthropology Museums
Museums in Motion Today: Kaytee Smith
Museums in Motion Today: Dustin Growick

4Science Museums

5History Museums, Historic Houses, Interpretation Sites, Sites of Conscience, and Memorial Museums
Museums in Motion Today: Catherine Hughes
Museums in Motion Today: Dan Hartman
Museums in Motion Today: Paul Tetreault

6Botanical Gardens & Zoos
Museums in Motion Today: Courtney Allen
Museums in Motion Today: Rob Shumaker

7Children’s Museums
Museums in Motion Today: Rebecca Shulman Herz

Part II: FUNCTIONS
Introduction to Part II
Museums in Motion Today: Tim Hallman
Museums in Motion Today: Andrea Jones

8To Collect
Museums in Motion Today: Zinnia Willits
Museums in Motion Today: Jane Milosch
Museums in Motion Today: Kathryn Murano Santos

9To Conserve

10To Exhibit
Museums in Motion Today: Kimberly Masteller

11To Interpret & To Engage
Museums in Motion Today: Sara Devine
Museums in Motion Today: Charlotte Martin

12To Serve & To Act
Museums in Motion Today: Jennifer Scott
Museums in Motion Today: Katherine Krieger
Museums in Motion Today: Mike Lesperance

13The Profession & Professional Practices
Museums in Motion Today: Kaywin Feldman
Museums in Motion Today: Elizabeth Merritt
Museums in Motion Today: Alex Freeman & Samantha Becker

Readings
Index
About the Authors

Reviews

This new, third edition of Museums in Motion tackles the challenge of updating a classic text on the history and relevance of museums with considerable elegance and aplomb. Important topics such as constantly changing information technologies, new approaches to inclusivity and accessibility, and the shifting nature of the museum profession cannot be tacked on to already existing chapters, but must be woven carefully into the substance of the text as an integrated whole. Juilee Decker faces this daunting task head-on, and the resulting book is a masterwork of research scholarship and professional practice that will prove invaluable to everyone wanting to improve their understanding of the functions, importance, and value of museums -- past, present, and future.
— Paul F. Marty Ph.D., Professor, School of Information, Florida State University

I am thrilled to see a thorough update of this classic book on museums and museum functions. Museums in Motion can once again serve as the essential introductory text for any museum studies course.
— Laura B. Roberts, principal, Roberts Consulting and faculty, Harvard University Program in Museum Studies

I am delighted to offer my endorsement for the third edition of Museums in Motion, a text I have used in my Museum Studies courses for over twenty years. The new updates and inclusions by Juilee Decker make this version very relevant for today’s students and will give them an important framework as all of us in the museum field face a challenging future. It is most accessible to both the undergraduate and graduate student as well as being informative for the working museum professional. I give this book my highest praise—it combines the history and function of museums elegantly and the special highlights from the museum professionals give it an additional connection to the real world.
— Pamela J. White, JD, PHD, Director, Museum Studies Graduate Program, Western Illinois University

Museums in Motion is a core text for museum and curatorial studies courses and a valuable resource for anyone in the museum profession. The inclusion of provocative and inspiring reports on contemporary practice provides special value.
— Peter Morrin, director emeritus, Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky and former director, University of Louisville Center for Arts and Culture Partnerships

Features

This edition includes 145 images.

This edition brings perspectives from museum professionals currently engaged in the field. Referred to as “Museums in Motion Today,” these vignettes are conceived of as informal conversations between each individual and the reader that give a snapshot of current practice, opportunities, and challenges in museums throughout the United States.