Learning in the Museum

George E. Hein

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2002
• eBook ISBN: 9781134860470
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Museum Administration
• Index: Business

Learning in the Museum examines major issues and shows how research in visitor studies and the philosophy of education can be applied to facilitate a meaningful educational experience in museums.

Hein combines a brief history of education in public museums, with a rigorous examination of how the educational theories of Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky and subsequent theorists relate to learning in the museum.

Surveying a wide range of research methods employed in visitor studies is illustrated with examples taken from museums around the world, Hein explores how visitors can best learn from exhibitions which are physically, socially, and intellectually accessible to every single visitor. He shows how museums can adapt to create this kind of environment, to provide what he calls the 'constructivist museum'.

Providing essential theoretical analysis for students, this volume also serves as a practical guide for all museum professionals on how to adapt their museums to maximize the educational experience of every visitor.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title Page
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• List of illustrations
• Introduction
• 1 The significance of museum education
• 2 Educational theory
• 3 Early visitor studies
• 4 The countenance of visitor studies
• 5 Ladder and network theories
• 6 Studying visitors
• 7 Evidence for learning in the museum
• 8 The Constructivist Museum
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index