Museology, Management and Enhancement of Naturalistic Cultural Heritage
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims to train experts in the field of natural history museums. Through an interdisciplinary approach, it aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the complexity of modern museums, interpreting the concept of the museum as a participatory institution at the service of society. Objectives include understanding the new definition of a museum according to Icom, which emphasises accessibility, inclusivity and multidimensionality of the museum experience; acquiring regulatory and administrative skills for the effective management of museum activities, including the conservation, interpretation and exhibition of natural heritage; and developing practical skills in planning and managing the multiple activities offered by natural history museums, with a focus on the promotion of scientific thinking and the dissemination of knowledge.
Students will acquire theoretical and practical knowledge through cataloguing activities and laboratories for the design of museum exhibition spaces.
By integrating economic-managerial disciplines with museology and museography, the course aims to provide students with the necessary tools for the management and enhancement of naturalistic cultural heritage, with aims related to environmental protection, land management and sustainable development.
Students will acquire theoretical and practical knowledge through cataloguing activities and laboratories for the design of museum exhibition spaces.
By integrating economic-managerial disciplines with museology and museography, the course aims to provide students with the necessary tools for the management and enhancement of naturalistic cultural heritage, with aims related to environmental protection, land management and sustainable development.
Expected learning outcomes
Skills in museology, cultural heritage law, museography and museum management.
Competences for the management and organisation of geopaleontological collections, cataloguing and inventorying of specimens according to museum standards and in accordance with the regulations of the Italian legislation on cultural heritage.
Understanding of the specific financial dynamics of museums, with a particular focus on fundraising tools.
Ability to use museum marketing and communication techniques to promote and enhance the natural cultural heritage.
Knowledge of cultural mediation tools and management of museum educational services to engage the public and promote scientific understanding.
Knowledge of digital cultures and ability to use digital tools to improve the management and use of the natural cultural heritage.
Competences for the management and organisation of geopaleontological collections, cataloguing and inventorying of specimens according to museum standards and in accordance with the regulations of the Italian legislation on cultural heritage.
Understanding of the specific financial dynamics of museums, with a particular focus on fundraising tools.
Ability to use museum marketing and communication techniques to promote and enhance the natural cultural heritage.
Knowledge of cultural mediation tools and management of museum educational services to engage the public and promote scientific understanding.
Knowledge of digital cultures and ability to use digital tools to improve the management and use of the natural cultural heritage.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The first part of the course will be theoretical. The course will deal with the following topics in chronological order: fossils as cultural goods; the Italian legislation on the subject; criteria for organizing a geo-paleontological collection; cataloguing and inventariation of finds; safeguarding and conservation of geo-paleontological objects in museum collections and exhibitions; their digitisation and their historical documentation. The second part of the course will focus on the practical application of the theoretical part. A laboratory will be held to catalogue a group of exhibits, for which a museum exhibit will have to be designed.
Prerequisites for admission
In order to adequately deal with the contents of the teaching, it is necessary to have basic knowledge of biology, geology and paleontology; preferably also of comparative anatomy and animal taxonomy. The students must also know how to work with the basic package of Microsoft Office (or equivalent); preferably Photoshop, Illustrator or similar. Appreciated manual skills, propensity for graphics and anatomical-naturalistic design.
Teaching methods
The lessons will take place in the classrooms of the Teaching Sector of Via Celoria 12, with the support of slides presented in Power Point. The workshop will be held at the Museum of Natural History in Milan, Corso Venezia 55. In the laboratory hours there is a specific exercise, consisting of the simulation of an exhibition that students will have to design, starting from a set corpus of fossils that must be inventoried, catalogued and didascalized properly by the students.
Teaching Resources
Mainly it will be the PDFs obtained from the presentations that will accompany the theoretical lessons. In-depth texts will be suggested for some topics.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The resulting level of learning will be verified by evaluating an exhibition project, as well as by oral examination on the topics covered during the theoretical lessons. The exhibition project should consist of the following parts: catalogue of selected fossils, scientific project, exhibition project, texts and captions to be exhibited. The performance measurement will be with a score of thirty.
GEO/01 - PALEONTOLOGY AND PALEOECOLOGY - University credits: 6
Practicals with elements of theory: 12 hours
Lessons: 40 hours
Lessons: 40 hours