Learning in the Museum
Abstract
Learning in the Museum examines major issues and shows how research in visitor studies and the philosophy of education can be applied to facilitate a meaningful educational experience in museums. Hein combines a brief history of education in public museums, with a rigorous examination of how the educational theories of Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky and subsequent theorists relate to learning in the museum. Surveying a wide range of research methods employed in visitor studies is illustrated with examples taken from museums around the world, Hein explores how visitors can best learn from exhibitions which are physically, socially, and intellectually accessible to every single visitor. He shows how museums can adapt to create this kind of environment, to provide what he calls the 'constructivist museum'. Providing essential theoretical analysis for students, this volume also serves as a practical guide for all museum professionals on how to adapt their museums to maximize the educational experience of every visitor.
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Virtual museums that maximize interactivity and user choice (like network-symbolic ones) might embody a more dialectical museology, aligning with progressive ideals of visitor agency and multi-vocal interpretation.
“Virtual museums that maximize interactivity and user choice (like the networksymbolic ones) might embody a more dialectical museology, aligning with progressive ideals of visitor agency and multi-vocal interpretation.”
From Virtual Museums as Meaning-Modeling Systems in Digital Heritage (2025) · cites this paper as [93]
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“This resonates with constructivist learning theories in museum studies, where learners construct knowledge actively [93].”
- Authors
- Hein, G. E.
- Affiliations
- Lesley University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hein, George E.
- Venue
- Routledge eBooks
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Published
- 2002-09-11
- OpenAlex
- W1520351415
- Cited by
- 781
- References
- 86
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 43 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 45 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 56
- FWCI
- 277.09
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Routledge eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Museology › Museums and Cultural Heritage
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Museology › Libraries and Information Services
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Visual Arts and Performing Arts › Art Education and Development
- Keywords
- museum education, visitor studies, philosophy of education, constructivism, John Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, educational theory, museum adaptation
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