This Presentation is prepared for the Graduate Students. A presentation consisting of basic information regarding the topic. Students are advised to get more information from recommended books and articles. This presentation is only for students and purely for academic purposes.

1. History of Museology
Dr. Virag Sontakke

3. Definition
• The word 'Museology' is the combination of “Museo”
and “Logy".
• “Museo” comes to from the word “museum” and
• “Logy” comes from “ogust” which means an account
or a science.
• Thus, museology is a science, “related to the
museum”.
• The literal meaning of museology according to the
Oxford Dictionary
• “The science or practice of organizing and managing
museums”.

4. What is Museum
• A museum is usually regarded as a public building
which showcases objects of artistic, cultural,
historical or scientific interest, through permanent or
temporary exhibitions.
1. Museums have a collection.
2. Museums are educational centres
3. Museums are entertaining /learning centres
4. Museums are self and open Universities
5. Museums play an important role in raising
awareness of the past

5. Museology
• The study of museums come to be known as
museology.
1. Museums came into existence before museology
2. The emergence of museology was accomplished with
the actions related to museums.
3. The development of museums paved the way for
museology.
4. Before 1870 museums were very simple.
5. Amateurs collected and put their stuff behind the
glass.
6. Subsequently in 2oth Century museology was
formed.

6. What is Museology?
• Museology is the study of Museums.
• Museology is the theoretical study of museum
practices.
• It encompasses the history and development of
museums
• The organization and museum management.
• Museology focuses on preserving, displaying and
accessing objects
• The science or practice of organizing, arranging, and
managing museums.

7. Definition
• In 1972, ICOM defined museology in a detailed
manner
• Museology is museum science-
• The study of the history and background of
museums, their role in society, specific systems
for research, relationship with the physical
environment, and classification of different
kinds of museums.
• In brief, museology is the branch of knowledge
concerned with the study of the purposes and
organization of museums.

8. Aims and Objectives
• Museology is the science of museum management.
• Museology by nature is both science and
humanities.
• The main aim of museology is “study-cum-
training”
• To train persons to develop and maintain
museums.
• The main purpose is to educate the visitors
• Collection of specimens, art-archaeological objects
etc.
• Documentation and displaying.
• Conservation is the bedrock of museology.

9. Fundamentals of Museology
1.Collection
2.Maintenance of the building
3.Documentations
4.Display /presentations
5.Research and Publication
6.Education
7.Public Relations and Awareness
8.Conservation and preservations

10. Museology
• Museology is a professional job
• Need theoretical and practical training
• Multiple subject involvement:
a) Art
b) Archaeology
c) Science
d) Social science (tribes)
e) Natural Science
f) Technology

11. Museologist
• Work-related to museum studies
• Various museums need various specialists
• Establishment and development of the museum
• Management and maintence
• Documentation and exhibition
• Education and display
• Providing security and safeguarding the objects
• Hygiene and cleanliness
• Curative preservations and conservation
• Storage

12. Role
• Providing various courses of study, training
and research
• Providing academic guidance and leadership.
• Publishing
• To collect, preserve, interpret, and display
objects of artistic, cultural, or scientific
• Education of the public
• Entertaining and enlightening.
• Preservation and safeguarding the precious
objects.

13. History of Museology
1. Metro centres of India had museums need better
distribution and proper arrangement (1936)
2. Formation of Museum Association of India, in IHC,
Benaras in 1944.
3. Museum express survey committee 1954 paved the
way for forming Central Advisory
4. Establishment of the National Museum, Delhi
5. 1937 Ashutosh Museum, University of Calcutta,
6. UGC recommended Museology in 1964
7. M.S.U. Baroda and Calcutta Started PG Coarse in
Museology

14. Development of Museology: Indian
Perspective
Timelines Description
1936
Markham and Hargreaves Report on Indian Museums highlighted the
requirement of professional training.
1937 All India Museums Conference elaborated upon such training modalities.
1939 Sir Leonard Woolley emphasized upon staff training.
1952 One-year post-graduate Diploma course started in M S University, Baroda
1959
Two-year post-graduate Diploma course started in the University of
Calcutta
1965
UNESCO deputed Professor Philip Rawson to study the museology
courses in India
1966 Museum Studies Department started in the Leicester University, UK
1972 University of Calcutta started offering MA/ MSc degree in Museology
1978 M S University, Baroda, started offering MA (Fine) degree in Museology
1989
The National Museum Institute was established in New Delhi as a
deemed University and started offering MA degree in Museology
2004 Aligarh Muslim University started MSc course in Museology

15. • Museology is the scientific study of the Museums
• It’s a science of collection, preservation,
documentation and display
• Museums are not stored houses anymore its an
educational institutes
• Museology is an important subject which transforms
the museums into entertaining centers
Conclusion