The Museum in Transition: A Philosophical Perspective [Paperback]

Hilde S. Hein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2000

During the past thirty years, museums of all kinds have tried to become more responsive to the interests of a diverse public. With exhibitions becoming people-centered, idea-oriented, and contextualized, the boundaries between museums and the “real” world are eroding. Setting the transition from object-centered to story-centered exhibitions in a philosophical framework, Hilde S. Hein contends that glorifying the museum experience at the expense of objects deflects the museum's educative, ethical, and aesthetic roles. Referring to institutions ranging from art museums to theme parks, she shows how deployment has replaced amassing as a goal and discusses how museums now actively shape and create values.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hilde S. Hein is an associate professor emerita of philosophy at the College of the Holy Cross and the author of The Exploratorium: The Museum as Laboratory.

Product Details

• Paperback: 203 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian Books (September 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560983965
• ISBN-13: 978-1560983965
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,000,615 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a text to understand the present condition of museums, March 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Museum in Transition: A Philosophical Perspective (Paperback)

hein's text makes a general, but intersting and highly complete, overview of the present condition of museums. This texts refers to the past history of these institutions in order to promote a better understanding of them, and the role they play, in our contemporary cultural system. Arguing on the "trascendence of the object" hein makes an excellent analysis on the "museum experience" in order to understand this phenomenon providing a critical perspective on this issue. It is not too philosophical as the tittle claims, so it is not a difficult text to read and understand.