Collections and education: A historical study of the relation between schools and museums 1880-1980

This study aims to, from a historical perspective, create an in-depth understanding of the relationships between schools and museums.

It focuses on the educational aspects of collections, both in the school (museum-in-school) and in the museum (school-in-museum) and how this relationship transformed over time, 1880-1980.

Based on a broad ‘history of didactics’ approach, the study seeks to examine the dynamics between these two central knowledge institutions and their role in modern society. The study also examines how collections in both schools and museums were used for students´ learning. The project will be carried out over four years.

It is organized into two overarching themes: The school collection (museum-in-school) and Museum didactics (school-in-museum). Each sub-study will be conducted as two different case studies (a total of four case studies). The project is preceded by preliminary archive research. In 2022, we will carry out further archive research, as well as a research overview.

In 2023, we will begin processing and analyzing data, as well as writing articles. This work will continue during 2024 and 2025 and we will present findings at international conferences, and in a book.

The study aims to bring together two strong research areas - didactics (and here with a particular focus on museums) and history of education - into a common research arena, here called history of didactics. In this way, new questions can be asked and new knowledge gained.