---
title: Museum Studies & Curating
description: This field covers the history, theory, and practical operations of museums and galleries. Learners will understand exhibition design, collection management, conservation ethics, and how curators interpret cultural heritage for diverse public audiences.
category: arts-design
subcategory: art-history-and-criticism
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/museum-studies-and-curating
---

# Museum Studies & Curating

This field covers the history, theory, and practical operations of museums and galleries. Learners will understand exhibition design, collection management, conservation ethics, and how curators interpret cultural heritage for diverse public audiences.

## Available Resources

2 Books • 1 Courses • 3 Websites

## Websites

### 1. MuseumNext

A conference organiser and publication covering contemporary museum practice, with articles and recorded talks on digital engagement, audience development, and exhibition strategy. Useful for tracking how working museums are changing and what practitioners currently debate.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.museumnext.com/

**Tags:** museum-practice, museum-innovation, audience-engagement, exhibition-design, cultural-sector

### 2. icom.museum

ICOM (International Council of Museums) is a professional resource for museums and curators, offering ethics codes (Code of Ethics for Museums), standards and guidelines, publications, and news on events and developments in the museum sector.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://icom.museum

**Tags:** websites, arts-design, art-history

### 3. aam-us.org

American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is a national professional association for museums that provides standards, accreditation guidance, advocacy, and professional-development resources. The site hosts a library of best practices, ethics guidelines, industry news, training opportunities, and tools for museums and museum professionals.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://aam-us.org

**Tags:** websites, arts-design, art-history

## Courses

### 1. Museum Curation and Display

Learn museum curation & display techniques from University of Leicester. Create engaging exhibits & explore collection management.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/museum-curation

**Tags:** museum-studies, curation, exhibition-design, collections-management, cultural-heritage

## Books

### 1. Curating

**Author:** Hans Ulrich Obrist

Obrist traces his own exhibitions and conversations with artists alongside the history of collecting, from cabinets of curiosities to the first public museums. Readers gain a working sense of what a curator actually decides and why.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0241950961?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, arts-design, art-history

### 2. The Museum

**Author:** David Carrier

Carrier, an art historian, traces how public art galleries emerged, how display conventions shape interpretation, and why the museum's civic mission has come under doubt. Useful for understanding the institutional history behind current curatorial debates.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0822336944?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, arts-design, art-history

---

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