| Description: | The aim of this course is to provide an integrated approach to museum theory and practice in Italy. It will consider museum definitions and classification, and the century-long history of art collecting, examining the various forms and meanings of gathering beautiful, precious or even curious objects in various places, including the creation of world-famous museums such as the Uffizi or the Louvre. The concept of cultural heritage will be analyzed, considering its increasing value for society, as well as the legal and ethical issues involved. The course will also provide the student with the basic knowledge of the main issues in museum curatorship: research, methods of documentation, cataloguing systems, display, basic communication techniques, the importance of education in museums, preventive and remedial conservation of collections, environmental monitoring and control, safety plans and storage systems. |