Museology, Curatorship, and Public History

The curriculum in 'Museology, Curation and Public History' is inspired by the current ICOM definition of museum, thus emphasising the organisation, curation, study, protection and promotion of collections. Moreover, it valorises communication, including digital or visual media, thus construing museums as institutions firmly rooted in the past but looking ahead to the future and, at the same time, engaging with contemporary culture.

The training programme will concentrate on developing curatorial skills for permanent and temporary collections. These collections may vary in period, geography, and subject, comprising ancient and contemporary settings, art, history and science exhibits.

More specifically, the program addresses:

1. skills in the scientific and historical analysis of museum forms and the history of collecting
2. the ability to coordinate conservation, preservation and restoration policies for collections
3. knowledge of digital cataloguing, organisation and communication methods within museums concerning contemporary issues and public history
4. engagement with contemporary trends in museography, exhibition and visual culture

Particular attention will be dedicated to public history, which will provide the theoretical and methodological framework for investigating the connections between the study of the past and its communication to the public. Students will focus on the social impact of historical narratives and the development of methods for disseminating historical knowledge, combining methodological rigour with innovative technologies.

The University of Turin has a significant background in this field of study and is a member of the “Interuniversity Centre for Research and Development of Public History” (CISPH).