Course: Museology for Natural History Museums

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Course title Museology for Natural History Museums
Course code ZOO/MUZEO
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Excursion
Level of course Master
Year of study 1
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Adamík Peter, Mgr. Ph.D.
  • Kundrata Robin, doc. RNDr. Ph.D.
  • Krist Miloš, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
The course focuses on the role of natural history museums, their organisation, museum administration, funding, and the relevant legislation. Students will become familiar with the principles of acquiring, documenting, managing, and preserving natural history collections, as well as their use in scientific research, education, and science communication. The course also addresses current challenges, emerging trends, and future perspectives in the development of natural history museums. In addition to lectures, the course includes excursions to selected natural history museums, where students will gain practical insight into museum operations and the day-to-day management and use of natural history collections.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture, Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Demonstration
Learning outcomes
The course aims to provide students with both theoretical and practical knowledge of natural history museology. The theoretical component is delivered through lectures, while the practical component consists of excursions to selected natural history museums.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to understand the organisation, funding, and principal activities of natural history museums. They will gain a basic understanding of the management and scientific use of natural history collections and become familiar with career opportunities in museums, particularly in collection curation and collection-based research in the Czech Republic and abroad.
Prerequisites
No previous knowledge of museology is required. The course is open to all students interested in natural history museums and collections.

Assessment methods and criteria
Written exam

To successfully complete the course, students must achieve at least 60% of the total points in the written credit test and participate in the required excursions to selected natural history museums.
Recommended literature
  • Ambrose, T. a Paine, C. (2018). Museum Basics (4th edition).. Londýn.
  • Bakker, F.T.. The Global Museum: natural history collections and the future of evolutionary science and public education. 2020.
  • Pyke, G. H. & Ehrlich, P. R. (2010). Biological collections and ecological/environmental research: a review, some observations and a look to the future. Biological reviews, 85(2), 247-266.
  • Táborský, K. (1961). Muzejní práce: Metodika zoologických prací v muzeích. Národní muzeum.
  • Webster, M. S. (2017). The Extended Specimen.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Zoology (2021) Category: Biology courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Summer