SCIENTIFIC MUSEUM

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SCIENTIFIC MUSEUM

Journal Title: Muzealnictwo - Year 2014, Vol 55, Issue

Abstract

This article presents a proposal for incorporating scientific activity into the structure of museums in Poland and then institutionalizing it in the existing organizational framework of museums. In fact, scientific activity has been conducted in museums ever since, however, museum employees have mainly carried out basic research essential for running collections and exhibitions. On the one hand, this may be considered as a kind of “self-service”. On the other hand, museums have an enormous intellectual and institutional potential which has not been used so far and could constitute a basis for creating in some museums research centers dealing with both museum problems par excellence (theoretical, methodological, historical ones) and more autonomous ones toward museum issues. Museums should create centers for advanced studies, following mainly American models, such as Center for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts (CASVA) of the National Gallery in Washington, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown in Massachusetts or Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles (having other organizational structure). However, American patterns should not be simply copied but adapted to the Polish context. Polish science operates in a different manner than American; it is organized within the European framework, especially in terms of receiving grants. Centers for advanced studies in museums may provide measurable benefits. First of all, such centers may generate knowledge important for museum employees and their work. Moreover, centers may be an additional source to gain funds – both from central administration and (national and international) grants. The most important benefit, however, is the fact that centers may make Polish science more competitive on national and international – especially European – level. It is worth to mention that such institutions have not been established in the Central and Eastern Europe so far what creates even more opportunities for scientific museums in Poland.

Authors and Affiliations

Piotr Piotrowski

Keywords

muzeum nauka instytut studiów zaawansowanych konkurencyjność MUSEUM Science center for advanced studies competitiveness

DZIAŁANIA NARODOWEGO INSTYTUTU AUDIOWIZUALNEGO W RAMACH WIELOLETNIEGO PROGRAMU RZĄDOWEGO KULTURA+ PRIORYTET DIGITALIZACJA

EP ID EP61919
DOI -
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