Exploring Museums

The book traces the journey of Indian and Global museums from the colonial to the present era pointing towards the changes in social perception of the museum and the evolution of its public service functions. It focuses primarily on art and archeology museums and their connection to the communication strategies. A museum is an institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance and some public museums makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities throughout the world and more local ones exist in smaller cities, towns and even the countryside. Museums have varying aims, ranging from serving researchers and specialists to serving the general public. The goal of serving researchers is increasingly shifting to serving the general public. This book is a scholarly effort to examine various aspects of Museology and Museography. It discusses the origin of the word "museum" -- its definition, types of museums, famous museums of the world that have developed since the eighteenth century and the development of museums in India. It deals with the educational role of museums: its provision of non-formal, visual, recreational education through creating awareness by its various activities.