ABSTRACT
Nearly one hundred years ago, “museum studies” began to develop as a field of research in English-speaking countries. Today, there are numerous publications, 1 peer-reviewed academic journals (e.g., Curator: The Museum Journal, Museum Management and Curatorship, Journal of Curatorial Studies, Museum International, Museum & Society), and degree programs that focus on the museum with regard to its collection and exhibition practice, the institution, its policies and activities, and the public. The contributions to museum studies take a closer look at the field from the perspective of cultural science, sociology, psychology, management, and curatorship as well as cultural policy. Museum studies addresses historical-critical issues and poses questions about the museum’s future. This critical, interdisciplinary, and forward-oriented discourse, which deals with the museum and its various aspects, has triggered an extensive transformation of the identity and practices of museums over the last fifty years.
