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ETD Abstract Container

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Displaying Archaeology: A Look into the Representation of Archaeology in United States Natural History/History Museums

Hughes-Skallos, Jessica M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1384850209

Abstract Details

2013, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Anthropology.
Museum exhibits and programs are the most common ways by which individuals learn about archaeology. Nevertheless, it is uncertain just how museums represent the science of archaeology and the degree to which they represent archaeology as practiced in the 21st century. This thesis examines how archaeological theory and methods are represented in three different kinds of museums using a combination of archival, observational, and interview methods. Interviews and observations were conducted at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, New York, and the Fort St. Joseph Museum in Niles, Michigan. An analysis was conducted as to how modern archaeology is represented in the three museums through their static exhibits, and through both in-house and out-of-house programming. Interviews with informants illuminate how information is conveyed to the public within the museums through their exhibits and programs. It has become clear through this study that museums only slightly represent contemporary archaeology and that their training programs need to be expanded with education in contemporary archaeology. This research found that the museums studied had limited or missing information on archaeological practices such as bioarchaeology, paleoethnobotony, K/Ar Dating, and lithic analysis. If more archaeological practices are included in education programs and exhibits in museums, then the teaching of archaeology would be more comprehensive.
Alan Sullivan, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Clement Jeffrey Jacobson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
56 p.
Archaeology
Archaeology; Museum Studies; Anthropology; Museums

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hughes-Skallos, J. M. (2013). Displaying Archaeology: A Look into the Representation of Archaeology in United States Natural History/History Museums [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1384850209

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hughes-Skallos, Jessica. Displaying Archaeology: A Look into the Representation of Archaeology in United States Natural History/History Museums. 2013. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1384850209.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hughes-Skallos, Jessica. "Displaying Archaeology: A Look into the Representation of Archaeology in United States Natural History/History Museums." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1384850209

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1384850209
459
© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.