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130x50 Welcome - Museum studies, sometimes called museology, is the field that encompasses the ideas and issues involved in the museum profession—from the practical, day-to-day skills needed to operate a museum to theories on the societal role of museums.
The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS) assists the museum community in acquiring and strengthening its understandings and practices of museology. This website is one of the Center's tools for serving the educational and informational needs of the field.
Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits

The National Research Council’s new study:
Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits

The National Science Resources Center, in partnership with the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, hosts a Smithsonian Institution Research-Dissemination Forum to discuss the findings of this new report

Replay available here.

Explore Museum Studies
130x50 Museum Studies Training and Careers
Locate professional-development opportunities and information for making informed career decisions and finding a job.
130x50

Fellowships in Museum Practice
Look into opportunities to research museology issues at the Smithsonian.

130x50   Museology Resources
Find professional associations and special interest groups, on-line references, bibliographies, curriculum tools and materials, and much more.
130x50   Museum Studies Webcast Archives
Watch past presentations hosted by the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies on topics relating to museology.
2012 Fellows in Museum Practice

Dr. Theano Moussouri—Fellow in Museum Practice
Lecturer in Museum Studies, University College London, Institute of Archaeology (London, UK)
Study Title: Cooperative learning: An integrated approach to co-designing and researching family learning experiences in museums and other informal learning contexts
In-residence at the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies: December 2011, April 2012, July/August 2012

Susan Chun—Fellow in Museum Practice
New Media Consortium (New York, NY)
Co-PI and Project Lead, Steve: The Museum Social Tagging Project
Study Title: Information Visualization for Museums: A Survey of Current Practice and Potential Applications
In-residence at the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies: March 2012—August 2012

 

Latest Research & Reports       

Dr. Helen Graham
University of Leeds and Smithsonian Fellowship in Museum Practice Fellow (2010-2011)
All Access Digital Arts Camp Report (.doc | .pdf
Related content:
All Access Digital Arts Camp              
Museums for Us  
Accessibility Resources
Smithsonian Accessibility Program

Dr. Hadwig Kraeutler
Belvedere Museum of Austrian Art, Vienna & SCEMS’ Merit Award Recipient 2011
The museologist, writer, educationalist Alma S. Wittlin (1899 - 1990) (.doc | .pdf
Related content:
Smithsonian History 
Museum Education Resources

Dr. Olaug Andreassen
Documentalist/Anthropologist, Oslo, Norway and Smithsonian Fellowship in Museum Practice Fellow (2010-2011)
More Useful Collections Blog
Related content:
Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center    
Collections Resources

Ms. Tine Seligmann
Curator Learning Museum & SCEMS Professional Visit 2011
Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, Denmark
May I share a story with you?—on different approaches to user involvement (.doc | .pdf   
Related Content:
Learning Museum
Evaluation and Visitor Studies

LOOKING for more reports? Go to: Alumni and Research Reports

     
 
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Museum Employment Opportunities
Museum Studies Training Directory
Museum-Related Organizations

Museum Studies Bibliographies (SIRIS)

  Upcoming Events
  Fellowships in Museum Practice Application Deadline: February 15
   
  Frequently Asked Questions
  What are resources that can help me start a new museum?
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  Where can I get information on developing museum studies curriculum?
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