The Museums and Collections of Higher Education PDF
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THE MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION The Museums and Collections of Higher Education provides an analysis of the historic connections between materiality and higher education, developed through diverse examples of global practice. Outlining the different value propositions that museums and collections bring to higher education, the historic link between objects, evidence and academic knowledge is examined with reference to the origin point of both types of organisation. Museums and collections bring institutional reflection, cross-disciplinary bridges, digital extension options and participatory potential. Given the two primary sources of text and object, a singular source type predisposes a knowledge system to epistemic stasis, whereas mixed sources develop the potential for epistemic disruption and possible change. Museums and collections, therefore, are essential in the academies of higher learning. With the many challenges confronting humanity, it is argued that connecting intellect with social action for societal change through university museums should be a contemporary manifestation of the social contract of universities. Much has been written about museums and universities, but there is little about university museums and collections. This book will interest museum scholars and practitioners especially those unaware that university museums are at the forefront of museological creativity. It will also be of interest to academics and the growing number of leaders and managers in the modern university. Andrew Simpson has worked for Australian universities in professional and academic capacities. This has included being a solo operator of a university museum and in- troducing and developing Australia’s first undergraduate degree program in Museum Studies. He is currently a Postdoctoral Research Affiliate at the Chau Chak Wing Museum, the University of Sydney and is active in UMAC, ICOM’s International Committee for University Museums and Collections. His research interests include the history, role and functions of museums, in particular, university museums, museum education, natural history and the public understanding of science. THE MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION Andrew Simpson Cover image: The Chau Chak Wing Museum with The University of Sydney quadrangle in the background. Courtesy of Anthony Fretwell Photography. First published 2023 by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2023 Andrew Simpson The right of Andrew Simpson to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-1-032-03033-3 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-03007-4 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-18653-3 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781003186533 Typeset in Bembo by MPS Limited, Dehradun This book is dedicated to Jo, Calum and Jamie with thanks for your love and gracious acceptance of my obsessive interest in museums. CONTENTS Preface viii Acknowledgements x 1 An introduction to the museums and collections of higher education 1 2 Developing institutional narratives 25 3 Crossing discipline boundaries 45 4 Getting more from objects and collections 64 5 Involving people and communities 82 6 Lessons from university museums and collections 101 References 124 Index 159 PREFACE It’s amazing the stuff you can find hidden in out of the way places on a university campus, particularly a venerable old institution, but also in younger ones. Many years ago in an institution far, far away, a seismograph dutifully sat in the corner of a university museum recording signals from elsewhere. Needles would shake and quiver, tracing out squiggles on large rolls of paper every time the crust of the planet growled. A technician would come and change the paper on the machine every day. This was the pre-digital world where piles of paper accumulated rapidly. Fortunately, just across the way there was an old staircase with ample room underneath for securely storing a “Manhattan” skyline of piles of paper. Unfortunately, the same was also a convenient place for cleaning contractors to store a variety of very effective cleaning products. What could possibly go wrong? A dynamic new Head of Department had been appointed. A new broom, destined to transform the research culture of the institution. New laboratories would be built, new investigative techniques would be employed, a stream of “Nature” papers were eagerly anticipated. New epistemological treasures were within reach, it would bring academic esteem and research “rock star” status to the place. The university was destined to rapidly climb the world rankings. Early on, the new appointment met the department’s past. Rows and rows of specimens that were the basis of the scientific understanding of this part of the world filled cabinets in the museum’s storage areas. Here was the outcome of generations of scientific endeavour, here was the history of research in the place and here was the evidence of claims made in scientific journals from work done in the university’s name. The new boss was horrified. “My department will not be a warehouse for memorabilia!” The university leadership group nodded in agreement. Elsewhere in the world others were contemplating the big questions about what does all this stuff scattered across the campus actually represent. Could any of it possibly be of use, or is it better of destined for landfill? Could there be any Preface ix creative things that could be done with this old stuff? Could it be useful for teaching, research or maybe even public programs? Would it be possible to recreate how people did research in the past? What purpose would that serve? Could it actually be something that might encourage people to come and study here? Maybe it could become a new research centre in itself? We could get some new academic staff perhaps, professors of materiality maybe? If we were really clever, perhaps it could be used to attract some philanthropy? Two contrasting scenarios, differing responses in different parts of the higher education sector at the same time. Why such dramatically different approaches at different institutions? Well actually it is even possible for both to happen at the same institution; stuff discarded one moment is retrieved from the rubbish pile the next (Nykänen et al. 2013). What is it about the institutional setting of the university, is it more challenging for the materiality of knowledge than a civic museum setting? Writing this book was an attempt to find answers to some of these questions. The best way to think about a university is to use an analogy from physics. At the macroscopic level classical physics laws apply, at the micro-level (atoms, nuclei, etc.) quantum physics laws apply. If you look at the organisation from the outside, as a whole, at the macro-level, it is complex but steadily and resolutely carries out its obligations in a careful and measured way. It looks serene and purposeful, like a large ocean liner it can change direction, but this takes time and is not something that can be rushed. It looks solid, trustworthy and steady. But drill down into the structure, to the micro-level and the calm solidity breaks down straight away. At the micro-level, it is complete chaos, continuous struggle, activity and change, nothing stays still for a moment, randomness rules everywhere. So how is it possible to have a museum with its concept of perpetuity, or at least longevity, in this kind of institutional setting of continual churn? Hopefully, this book shows that indeed, not only is it possible, but the closeness of materiality to the intellectual mission means that museology in the academy can have poignancy and relevance that humanity needs in these challenging times. Museology in the academy is worthy of closer study and careful consideration. Reference Nykänen, P., Kuuva, M., Saukkalo, A., & Vähätalo, A. 2013. Final works of students of Helsinki School of Technology 1850-1851 are safe now. Transactions of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters 2013 (3), 101–108.
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