Location:

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

When you visit a museum, do you ever think about how the exhibits are presented to you? How can everything scholars know about a topic, and all the artefacts representing it, be condensed into one building or gallery? And how has it all been arranged to provide you with a stimulating visitor experience?

The ways museums present artefacts and knowledge offer us different perspectives on human culture. Each style of display, each form of classification, reflects and contextualizes our knowledge of the subject matter its own manner, while exhibition design aims to create a lasting impact on the viewer. 

This course looks at how museums and exhibitions are structured and designed. Which objects are selected, which are left out, and why? Besides gaining an insight into the nature of museums and exhibitions themselves, you also learn about design and about the representation of culture – in the material, the scientific and the human sense. And you experience how methods of classifying and labelling objects underpin human culture and science, past and present, and present us with a particular historical and cultural narrative.

There is no better place to discover museum mapping than Amsterdam, with its plethora of exhibition spaces, large and small. From some of the world’s greatest museums of art and design – the Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk Museum  – through many centuries of historical showcases of so-called historic house-museums, to specialist institutions devoted to everything from microbes to technology to non-European cultures, to  social housing to bags and purses. Naturally, visits to a broad cross-section of these museums are an integral part of the course, providing you with hands-on mapping experience and insight.

Setting Description:

With over 180 unique nationalities, Amsterdam is a melting pot of cultures and embraces different cultures, religions, and lifestyles. 165 canals criss-cross the entire city, giving it its nickname ‘Venice of the North.’ The city also features more bikes than inhabitants! With a bustling creative industry, Amsterdam offers plenty of cultural activities and events throughout the year. In Amsterdam you can benefit from the advantages of a big city with enough quiet spots to kick back and relax.

Cost:

1150 EUR. The tuition fee includes: • Airport pick-up service • Welcome goodie bag • Orientation programme • Course excursions • On-site support • Emergency assistance • Transcript of records after completion of the course

Additional Program Information

Scholarships:

Yes

Scholarships Description:

The VU Amsterdam Summer School offers ten scholarships that cover the full tuition and housing fees of one course. Information about how to apply for the scholarship will be posted on the VU Amsterdam Summer School website.