Museums play a leading role in shaping a cultural tradition of each and every society. In this context, it is commonplace that the core of museum practice is the museum collections and objects. The critical mission of the museologist, which is the transmission of knowledge, is achieved through the understanding of the museum and the material, via the study that is relevant to each contributing scientific discipline. In this process theory and practice are interdependent concepts on which we are involved on a daily basis.

The purpose of the course is to explore concepts such as the museum's internal functions (collection, recording, documentation, maintenance, storage) and external functions of the museum (communication, educational services, visitor experience), as well as the ways of understanding collections within the history and its interpretive culture. Concepts such as "the museum's intellectual background" and "sense-meaning of museum objects" will be understood using a coded semantics system that degrades the object and completely restores authenticity behind the construction.

Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

• Understand the data and the utilization of museum collections
• Perceive the exploitation of museum objects and collections

Week #1: Introductory remarks

Week #2: Management of Museum Collections: Basic concepts

Week #3: Elements of history, theory and philosophy of museums

Week #4: The collective activity

Week #5: Collection, recording, documentation, maintenance, storage

Week #6: Collection, recording, documentation, maintenance, storage

Week #7: Collection, recording, documentation, maintenance, storage

Week #8: Interpretative principles for museum objects

Week #9: Significance of museum understanding

Week #10: Issues of museum management

Week #11: External functions of the museum

Week #12: Museum and architecture

Week #13: Prospects

• Black, Graham, Το ελκυστικό μουσείο. Μουσεία και επισκέπτες (Αθήνα 2009)
• Μπούνια, Αλεξάνδρα, Στα παρασκήνια του μουσείου. Η διαχείριση των μουσειακών συλλογών (Αθήνα 2009)
• Ορφανίδη, Λάϊα - Λυριτζής, Ιωάννης, Εισαγωγή στη μουσειολογία και στην προληπτική συντήρηση (Αθήνα 2006)
• Pearce, SusanM., Μουσεία, αντικείμενα και συλλογές (Θεσσαλονίκη 2002)
• Σαλή Τέση, Μουσειολογία 1. Βασικές αρχές τήρησης μουσειακών συλλογών (Αθήνα 2002)

In every class, there will be cooperation with students in the field of cultural activities and presentation of new data in the museological findings of Greek and foreign museums

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Written examination and optional homework and presentation.