Museum Studies

Adapted from ICOM Curricula Guidelines for Museum Professional Development (2000)

Competency Categories	Components of Categories	Activities of Components
General Competencies	Communications	Inter-cultural communication Written, oral, and non-verbal Terminology/vocabulary
	Evaluation methods	Analysis of data Data collection Project design Purpose Report methods
	Financial management	Elementary numeracy Basic analysis, monitoring, and reporting methods
	Information technology	Web sites Multimedia formats
	Interpersonal relationships	Collaboration and networking Disability awareness Strategies for museums Political considerations
	Museums and society	Accountability Issues of identity and discrimination Ethnic, racial, cultural and intellectual diversity Knowledge of local, national, regional, international issues, resources, and conditions Public trust
	Nature of work	Administrative and management policies and practices Affiliations with other organizations/consultancy/outsourcing Multi-disciplinary environment Quality maintenance of services and products
	Professionalism	Ethics and values – personal Specific to an individual museum and culture Relative to discipline and occupation
	Identity	Intellectual curiosity Initiative, self motivation, self-evaluation, flexibility Leadership Organization of museum associations–local, regional, national, international Self-management of career Standard-setting Recognition and integration of diversity into all processes Recognition of excellence Vision of and purpose for museums and personal role at individual institution
	Project Management	Delegation and review Multi-disciplinary environment Planning and organizing Priority-setting Problem-solving Resource management, implementation and evaluation Team processes
	Research	Ability to seek out and acquire new information, apply learning to tasks Critical Thinking Methodology
	Resources in the field	Literature and information sources including bibliographies, directories, and indexes Professional associations: international, national, regional, and local
Museology	Community museology	Assessing/understanding community needs Exhibition techniques as tools for mobilizing community members for the use of their common resources Interactions between communities, their heritage and economic development Processes which originate from community efforts
	Vision
	Governance	Board (or other governing body) composition Monitoring responsbilities Types Policy making Roles and relationships
	Issues in museum practices	Business orientation vs. larger public “good” “Collections” vs. “Ideas” Dominant voice / power in museum interpretation Cultural democracy Intellectual Access Physical Access Professional vs. vocational occupation Repatriation of cultural patrimony, human remains, funerary goods
	Legal context for practice	Cultural heritage – local, regional, national, and international approaches including conventions Copyright and artist’ rights – national laws and International Conventions Artistic freedom of expression – local, national, and comparative approaches Political, economic, social and cultural contexts of museums in local, national and international arenas including globalization, environmentalism, sustainable development, and cultural diversity
	Research activities, both discipline-based and museological
Management	Accreditation
	Advisory bodies	Public, professional, discipline-based
	Architecture	Accessibility standards Adaptive use Environmental controls Furnishings Museum architects Relationship of form and function Theory and practice of museum architecture Discipline, cultural milieu, and climate considerations Visitor amenities – lounge, restrooms
	Business and operational management	Contract management Policy development Program development Goal setting Priority setting Clarification of objectives Strategic planning Resource management Implementation Evaluation
	Community relations	Advocacy Coalition-building Public programming activities
	Financial planning and management	Audit Budget Financial control Documentation Reporting Risk management
	Formal structure	Authority under which museum is established Governing laws under which museums are constituted Articles of incorporation Constitution and by-laws Statement of purpose / intent / mission
	Fund raising and grant development (income-generation)	Development (income-generation) plan Record keeping and acknowledgments Resource identification Capital campaign Gifts / bequests Techniques / Strategies
	Human resource planning and management	Allocation of resources Analysis of tasks Authority Compensation structuring (pay/salary scales) Consultancy and contract workers Cross-cultural training Diversity Hiring (recruiting) / discharge (dismissal) of employees Labor relations Management of multi-discipline, multi-cultural teams and organizations Staff morale and motivation Performance measures and evaluation Supervision Training needs analysis of organization and staff and provision Volunteers
	Income producing activities	Concessions (franchises) Fees Retail operations
	Information management
	Insurance / indemnity
	Law	Legal system – national and international comparisons Legal status of museum Legal responsibilities of personnel and board Law and the collection – accessioning, de-accessioning and bequests Contract law, including loans and exhibition exchanges Tax law
	Marketing	Audience (visitor) research Promotional materials Public image Tourism / business links Tools for communicating
	Membership / “friends” organizations	Services Hospitality management
	Physical plant and site managment	Emergency preparedness Fire, safety, and security Plant maintenance
	Public affairs
	Media relations
	Organizational Theory	Best practices Cross-cultural skills Processes of change – Change managment Models of organizational change Reflexive practice Techniques for fostering creative thinking and action in work Understanding of how innovations emerge within complex organizations Re-engineering
Public Programming	Communications	Communication theory Knowledge of the dynamics of symbolic experience Developing communication linkages and creating relevant focal points and forums for exchange of ideas Orientation – physical and intellectual Semiotics – what things signify Signage (labeling etc.)
	Exhibitions	Exhibition theory Graphics History and philosophy Lighting Planning, design, fabrication, installation and evaluation Principles of visual presentations Types / styles of exhibitions Use of audiovisuals, computers – Virtual exhibitions Web site creation and management
	Education and interpretation	Educational theory, psychology, and sociology History and philosophy Learning theory Planning, design, production and evaluation of programs Models of practice – Use of text, objects, graphics, manipulative materials and media Policies
	Publications and products
	Visitor service and public relationships	Circulation Local, national, international, and regional situations, issues Management of visitation Non-visitors characteristics Numbers and types Preservation requirements of collection and structure Visitor characteristics
Information and Collections Management and Care	Archives	Records management
	Collections	Access: cultural, physical and intellectual: visitation, tourism Agents of deterioration: physical, chemical, and biological factors Automation: Computer software and hardware selection Cataloguing Collection issues Collection management – Preventive care Copies / reproductions / digitization – Copyright Quality control Development Documentation / Data management – Generation, organization, and care Electronic / world wide aspects Environmental monitoring and control Temperature, relative humidity, light and atmospheric pollutants Handling History and philosophy Kinds of collections – Ancillary collections including audiovisuals, slides, negatives Built environment including sites, landscapes, structures Cultural heritage including oral history, folklife, language Documents, manuscripts, archives Objects, artworks, sculptures, specimens, prints Packing and transporting Pest management Policies Principles of conservation / restoration – Properties of materials, implications for preservation Registration – Accession Deaccession Disposal Loans Resources Standards Storage Theft Use of (in): Natural and cultural contexts Exhibitions Public service role Research Library and information services Scientific activities Data collection, preparation and analysis Research design Phases of the research process Sampling procedures / survey tools / procedures