History of Museum Education
Tory Talayi
Contents Introduction
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
The Walters Museum of Art & Theodore Lewis Low
Developing Education
Historical Figures
Programs
The Getty Museum
Introduction 1889 Museums Association is established and is the first association dedicated to museums issues Wealthy collectors that donated to museums were honorary curators in the beginning Public interpretation of art is through formalism Historian interpret art contextually Contextual interpretation of art require research, learning about the society during the period the art was Auguste Renoir, Bal du moulin de la Galette, oil on canvas, Musee D’Orsay Museum, Paris produced, and studying the artist Formalists interpret art by looking at the form, movement of the figures within the composition, patterns of color, design, rhythm, and the usage of light Museum education differed in each museum during the initial development phases There were many unanswered questions in the beginning about how to create policies The public visited the museums for leisurely purposes, therefore how would education fit into the experience and the demand? In the early 20th Century schools began attending museums to educate children
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, established a docent position to educate the public Docents helped bridge the gap between scholars and the public, in an educational way, without having the teacher vs the student stigma Docents educated visitors through conversations rather than lectures at the Museum of Fine Arts in the early 20th Century It is important that docents maintain neutrality when educating visitors about art Docents cannot display negative or positive intentions towards any work of art, because it is important for the visitor to develop their own sense of appreciation about artworks
Bringham Museum of Fine Arts (interior) Boston, 1876
Bringham Museum of Fine Arts (exterior), Boston, 1876
Developing Education The Metropolitan Museum of Art appointed their first Supervisor of Museum Instruction in 1907 The ‘Expert Guidance’ Instructor would carry out similar duties as that of the docent at the MFA At the MET, the docent (Expert Guidance) would make no attempt to blend into the background, or be a casual bystander to the visitors, they had a much more formal and vocal approach In 1903 the Toledo Museum of Art, in Ohio, would be the first in the world to become child-centered
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, USA
Unanswered Questions to Consider
Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, USA
The Walters Art Museum & Theodore Low Theodore Lewis Low was Director of Education at the Walters Museum of Art Low wrote a book The Museum as a Social Instrument Low played a vital role in educational development at the Walters Museum of Art Today the Walters has an incredible docent program, and spends a year educating their volunteers
VOLUNTEER DOCENTS Tour Guides
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland
Gallery Talks
AAM Survey
Gallery Talks 41% Tour Guides 59%
Theodore Lewis Low, The Museum as a Social Instrument, 1950s
Historical Figures John Dewey was a social reformer and educator Dewey was pragmatic and believed in integrating practical life skills that would be useful in life as part of their education, including: sewing, cooking, and woodworking Charles Wilson Peale felt his museums should be funded and supported by the state government, because it was important to educate the public Thomas Jefferson founded an institute in Virginia Jefferson was like-minded and agreed with Charles Wilson Peale about educational funding in museums
John Dewey (1859-1952), Cover of Time magazine
Charles Wilson Peale, Self-Portrait, 1822
Peale, Thomas Jefferson, 1791
Programs The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art has educational programs Art Festivals Family Programs Docent lectures for children & adults Art Days Gallery Teaching
Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Open Hand, International Mask & Puppet Theater, Syracuse, New York
The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Website, http://www.virginiamoca.org/about-moca
The Getty Museum The Getty Museum, Los Angeles
The Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Website, All Curricula and Guides, http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/classroom_resources/curricula/index.html