Colleges Offering Courses
At the undergraduate level, students can pursue undergraduate studies in archeology and museology. After this they can also do masters in museology. Presently, colleges and universities such as Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya in Chhattisgarh, Magadha University in Gaya, Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara, National Museum Institute of Art Conservation and Museum History, Delhi, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata And the University of Calcutta offers courses in Museology. Recently, BHU started a full-fledged department dedicated to Museology after the approval of President of India Ram Nath Kovind and subsequent amendment in BHU statutes.
Speaking to Education Times, Ambika Patel, Head of Museum Department at Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara, says, “Students pursuing a course on Museology are provided holistic training so that they become trained museum professionals. It aims to train students to become a skilled museum curator. This course helps in understanding the cultural heritage of India and the management of museum maintenance.
There is a special mention of teaching subjects related to art and culture in NEP 2020. The curriculum covers topics such as museum management, documentation, collection management, museum education, museum administration, setting up exhibitions, and conservation and protection of cultural heritage.
“There are various museums, which may have historical, cultural or contemporary collections. Specialized museums such as the Textile Museum, the Army Museum or the Railroad Museum require extensive knowledge of the items on display. A museologist is expected to know the background, history and relevance of the things on display,” says Patel.
As part of the study of museology, students are required to devote equal time to theoretical and practical learning. As part of practical training, students get training in various museums and related organizations such as National Museum of Modern Art, Regional Museum under National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Indian Film Archives in Pune, National Research Laboratory in Lucknow. and Triveni Museum in Ujjain. “In addition, sessions on practical activities for art therapy and issues of inclusiveness and accessibility of cultural institutions are also given to the students. In the last semester of the course, students are required to write a thesis,” explained Patel.
After completing the course, students can get jobs in various museums as museum curator, museum academician, collection manager and registrar of collections and can work as freelancer in heritage sector and also conduct digital projects Huh. “Some of our students are building digital platforms for museums to create online libraries,” says Patel.
Usha Tiwari, Founder and Head, Department of Museums, BHU says, “We have started a dedicated Department of Museology to provide the students with an in-depth understanding of the subject. As part of this course on museology, we teach students about the different types of museums, miniature art, and the difference between tangible and intangible objects. We also teach the students to preserve the intangible cultural heritage along with the tangible heritage.”