City gets its first-ever course on museology

ere is good news for those who were always fascinated by museums and wanted to learn how to set up exhibits, do the lighting and document data. The first full-fledged Museology and Conservation course in Maharashtra is all set to start at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Affiliated to the Mumbai University, it is a one-year post-graduate diploma course.

Out of the 35 students who had applied, 20 have been selected and the course will start from October 24. "The students are of different ages and backgrounds. Our youngest student is 21 years old while the oldest is over 50 years," said the administrative officer VKV Nair.

Classes will be held on Saturdays and Mondays at the Museum. "The best part about teaching in the museum is that the students will get to learn everything first-hand, through experience," said Dilip Ranade, senior curator, European and Indian Modern paintings.

"We also are planning to invite scholars associated with international museums," said Nair. The course has six papers which include introduction to Museology, museum management, collection management, exhibition planning, care and conservation, and museum communication.

"It will teach them how to set up an exhibition, how to handle the exhibits, light needed for the exhibit, exhibition planning, how to document data and so on," said Ranade. "They can work with galleries, auction houses and even private collectors of contemporary art after they finish the course," he said. Post graduate Museology courses are offered in New Delhi, Baroda and Uttar Pradesh.

http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/report_city-gets-its-first-ever-course-on-museology_1296175