Museums, Heritage and Collections

Museums are powerful and influential institutions in their ability to shape knowledge and contribute to our identity. What we preserve and how we present our collections and heritage (and of course what we do not preserve and do not exhibit) is closely connected to our identity and culture.

In this multidisciplinary Minor, students will become acquainted with the social and academic debates on museums, cultural heritage and collections. Many different types of museums and collections shall be discussed including art museums, (natural) history museums and ethnographic museums. Students will gain insight into the functions and challenges of these different types of museums and various exhibition concepts and gain an understanding of the pressing ethical issues connected to museums and heritage.

Maximum number of participants: 25 Prospectus number: 5000MUSEAN Language of instruction: English Registration: via EduXchange see More Info 19 May (13:00hrs) until 30 June 2026

• Course load: 30 ECTS (spread either over one, or over two semesters)
• The minor Museums, Heritage and Collections is relevant for students interested in studying and/or working in the field of museums and cultural heritage.
• Language of instruction : English (internships are usually in Dutch)
• Website: Your study programme
• Coordinator: for questions about the minor programme, please contact the education coordinator
• Board of examiners: Kunst- en cultuurwetenschappen
• Registration: via EduXchange: 19 May (13:00hrs) until 30 June 2026

The museum landscape is in constant flux. Controversial exhibitions can ignite heated social debates. Political and social developments throughout the world are changing the curatorial narratives in our museums. In this post-colonial; globalized era; museums are challenged in their exhibitions and collection strategies to cater to both local and international communities.

The lecture series ‘The History of Museums’ (10 ECTS) forms the intellectual core of this Minor. It provides for an academic reflection on the collecting; presenting; managing and preserving of cultural heritage and on the history and theory of museums and collections in national and international context. Students will also take courses in which they will gain more in-depth knowledge. BA Art History students who choose this Minor, will take an internship for 15 ECTS and take the course Cultures of Exhibiting since the other two courses are compulsory in the BA Art History program.