Brief Introduction
Gain an understanding of history, museum studies, and curation by looking at, organizing, and interpreting art, artifacts, scientific curiosities, and the stuff of everyday life.Course Summary
Tangible Things is a course that explores the relationship between objects and history. Students will learn how to analyze and interpret material artifacts to uncover stories about the past.Key Learning Points
- Learn how to read and interpret material artifacts as historical evidence
- Gain a deeper understanding of how objects shape our understanding of history
- Explore the intersection of material culture and social history
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Develop skills in object analysis and interpretation
- Understand the role of material culture in shaping history
- Gain knowledge of museum practices and ethics
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- No prior knowledge or experience required
- Ability to access online course materials
- Willingness to engage in critical thinking and analysis
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online
- Self-Paced
- Video Lectures
- Quizzes and Assignments
Similar Courses
- The Art of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Literacy
- Making Architecture
- The Ethics of Memory
Related Education Paths
Notable People in This Field
- Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
- Neil MacGregor
Related Books
Description
Course description
Have you ever wondered about how museum, library, and other kinds of historical or scientific collections all come together? Or how and why curators, historians, archivists, and preservationists do what they do?
In Tangible Things, you will discover how material objects have shaped academic disciplines and reinforced or challenged boundaries between people. This course will draw on some of the fascinating items housed at Harvard University, highlighting several to give you a sense of the power of learning through tangible things.
By “stepping onto” the storied campus, you and your fellow learners can explore Harvard’s astonishing array of tangible things—books and manuscripts, artworks, scientific specimens, ethnographic artifacts, and historical relics of all sorts. The University not only owns a Gutenberg bible, but it also houses in its collections Turkish sundials, a Chinese crystal ball, a divination basket from Angola, and nineteenth-century “spirit writing” chalked on a child-sized slate. Tucked away in storage cabinets or hidden in closets and the backrooms of its museums and libraries are Henry David Thoreau’s pencil, a life mask of Abraham Lincoln, and chemicals captured from a Confederate ship. The Art Museums not only care for masterpieces of Renaissance painting but also a silver-encrusted cup made from a coconut. The Natural History Museum not only preserves dinosaur bones and a fish robot but an intact Mexican tortilla more than a century old.
In the first section of the course, we will consider how a statue, a fish, and a gingham gown have contributed to Harvard’s history. Through these objects, you will learn the value of stopping to look at the things around you.
In the next section, we will explore some of the ways people have brought things together into purposeful collections to preserve memory, promote commerce, and define culture.
Finally, we will consider methods of rearranging objects to create new ways of thinking about nature, time, and everyday work.
Along the way, you will discover new ways of looking at, organizing, and interpreting tangible things in your environment.
Knowledge
- What you'll learn
- Understanding of museum curation approaches
- The basics of historical analysis and interpretation
- A sense of the work that historians, curators, and collectors perform
- Strong critical thinking and analytical skills
- How things that seem to belong to different disciplines actually can “talk” to one another
- How close looking at even a single object can push beyond academic and disciplinary boundaries
Summary of User Reviews
The Tangible Things course offered by Harvard University has received positive reviews from users. The course is known for its engaging content, knowledgeable instructors, and interactive learning experience. Many users have found the course to be informative and enjoyable, resulting in an overall positive rating.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
The course is known for its engaging content.Pros from User Reviews
- Knowledgeable instructors
- Interactive learning experience
- Informative content
- Engaging course material
- Great introduction to material culture
Cons from User Reviews
- Course material can be dense at times
- Some users may find the pace too slow or too fast
- Limited interaction with other students
- Limited opportunities for feedback from instructors
- Course may not be suitable for those with a limited background in the subject matter
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