Course 2025-2026 a.y.

The course focuses on the following themes, set in a theoretical framework during lectures and developed empirically through the illustration and discussion of some case studies.

• Introduction: museum and heritage in an historical perspective;
• Museum and heritage studies and globalization;
• The new global market for museum contents;
• Current topics in the museological debate;
• Strategic positioning: joint ventures, franchised museums and internationalization; 
• Museums, heritage and urban regeneration: merits and demerits; 
• The social, economic and media impact of museums and heritage; 
• Museum planning: legal and planning documents;
• Budget management and accountability;
• Edging on sustainability; 
• Organization & personnel management; 
• Commercial activities: traditional and innovative; 
• Facilities management; 
• Partnerships and sponsorships;
• Marketing and community relations; 
• Audience development and engagement; 
• Development, fundraising and membership; 
• Education and public programmes; 
• Exhibition, interaction & graphic design; 
• Temporary exhibitions: in & outbound; 
• Collection management; 
• Technologies: uses and abuses; 
• The digital museum; 
• Digital changes and drivers; 
• Overview of future trends.

• Demonstrate knowledge of major theoretical, methodological and professional topics in museum and heritage management.
• Express awareness of the leading museum-related issues.
• Identify the needs of museums and heritage in a global market.

• Apply the knowledge gained within specific professional contexts, such as museum and exhibition planning.

• Select and analyse information relevant to a research project.

• Execute and write up projects on museum-related topics.

• Plan, execute and write up an extended research project on museums and heritage. 

• Apply a technical or scientific methodology to museum and heritage related research.

• Lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Company visits
• Collaborative Works / Assignments

• Each year 2-3 practioners are invited to give in-class talks: a senior curator, an exhibition designer and a travelling exhibition project manager.

• 1-2 museum visits are organized outside the course timetable. The visits are managed by senior curators and practitioners. 

• Groups assignments are agreed with museums, cultural institutions and exhibitions spaces. The final drafts are discussed in class at the end of the course. Prof. Guerzoni is available to organize on a weekly base extra course meetings to supervise groups.

Students with a minimum of 75% attendance are considered attending students.

The final evaluation is composed of two main components:

• Written exam (60% of the final grade)
  • Format: 1.5-hour exam with 7 open-ended questions, of which 3 must be answered
  • Content: Questions cover the main themes discussed during the course and illustrated through the slides (based on the list of topics mentioned in paragraph Course Content details).
  • Evaluation criteria: Each answer is scored out of 10 points and assessed based on:
    • Correctness and depth of information; (3 points)
    • Clarity and coherence of argumentation; (3 points)
    • Use of appropriate terminology;(2 points)
    • Structure and critical reasoning. (2 points)
  • Purpose: The written exam evaluates the acquisition of core knowledge and understanding, as well as the ability to apply concepts to different contexts and to articulate independent reasoning — in line with the expected learning outcomes related to knowledge, analytical competence, and communication skills.
• Group assignment (40% of the final grade)
  • Format: Each group selects (or proposes) a project topic related to course themes (e.g., museum planning, exhibition design, trend analysis, impact assessment). The assignment includes:
    • A PowerPoint presentation delivered in class during the final sessions; (5 points)
    • A written paper of 4,000–5,000 words, submitted according to the instructor’s timeline. (5 points)
  • Evaluation criteria: Each deliverable is scored out of 5 points and assessed based on:
    • Analytical depth and quality of research;
    • Originality and creativity of approach;
    • Relevance and clarity of argumentation;
    • Effectiveness of oral presentation and collaboration.
  • Purpose: This component is designed to assess teamwork, project management, problem-solving, and applied research skills, in coherence with learning outcomes concerning operational competencies, critical thinking, and effective communication.

A final grade of “cum laude” (31/30) may be awarded in the case of exceptional overall performance across both components.

For students who do not meet the attendance requirement:

• 100% of the grade is based on a written exam (1.5 hours) consisting of 3 open-ended questions, of which 2 must be answered.
• Content: The exam covers the entire syllabus, including slides and mandatory textbooks.
• Evaluation criteria: Each answer is scored out of 15 points and assessed based on:
  • • Correctness and depth of information; (6 points)
    • Clarity and coherence of argumentation; (5 points)
    • Use of appropriate terminology;(2 points)
    • Structure and critical reasoning. (2 points)
• Purpose: The written exam evaluates the acquisition of core knowledge and understanding, as well as the ability to apply concepts to different contexts and to articulate independent reasoning — in line with the expected learning outcomes related to knowledge, analytical competence, and communication skills.

A final grade of “cum laude” (31/30) may be awarded in the case of exceptional performance.

Slides and selected readings provided by the teacher (all of them are available in open pdf format, according to fair use policies).

Slides, selected readings and three textbooks:

• G. GUERZONI, Museum on the Map 1995-2012, Torino, Allemandi, 2014 (available in open pdf format).

• B. LORD, G. LORD DEXTER, L. MARTIN (eds.), The Manual of Museum Planning: Sustainable Space, Facilites and Operations, Lanham, AltaMira Press, 2012.

Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library): https://lib.unibocconi.it/en/