Department Chair

Andrew D. Nicholls, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of History

Date of Award

5-2019

Access Control

Open Access

Degree Name

Museum Studies, M.A.

Department

History and Social Studies Education Department

Advisor

Nancy Weekly, Burchfield Penney Art Center Collections Head

Department Home page

https://history.buffalostate.edu/

First Reader

Cynthia A. Conides, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Museum Studies Program

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the history of women within the context of the museum institution; a history that has often encouraged collaboration and empowerment of marginalized groups. It will interpret the history of women and museums and the impact on the institution by surveying existing literature on feminism and museums and the biographies of a few notable female curators. As this paper hopes to encourage global thinking, museums from outside the western sphere will be included and emphasized. Specifically, it will look at organizations in the Middle East and that exist in only a digital format. This will lead to an analysis of today’s feminist principles applied specifically to the museum and its link with online platforms. Issues surrounding online platforms will be presented with given examples of museum faux-pas. It will conclude with an analysis of an exemplar feminist museum—The Girl Museum. This paper will explore the topic of women and gender rights within the museum on a global scale; however, it is important to note that other historically silenced groups can also benefit from museum empowerment.

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