In foundational museum studies literature of the past 50 years, museums have been called “temples,” “sacred groves,” and places to connect with “something higher, more sacred, and out-of-the-ordinary.” How do museums today engage religion and spirituality, with whom, and why? Can encounters with objects and exhibits move people beyond the material world to consider the divine, the transcendent, the magical? In what ways do museums serve the growing number who consider themselves “spiritual but not religious,” those of different faiths, and those of no faith? In light of global challenges, how could museums contribute further to spiritual well-being as well as our collective future? Join four public-engaged scholar-practitioners of museum studies and/or religion to explore these intriguing questions and highlight the growing connections between religion, spirituality, and museums.
Author
The Center for the Study of Religion and American CultureInstitution
K-12, Community College, Public College or University, Private College or University, Seminary Institution Type
Video Resource Type
Intro, Undergraduate Course Class Type
2022 Date Published
Religious Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Area Studies, English, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, The Arts, Theology, Women's Studies, Other Discipline
Atheism/Agnosticism/Skepticism, Buddhism, Catholic, General Comparative Traditions, Hinduism, Indigenous, Islam, Judaism, New Religious Movements, Other Christianities, Other Traditions, Protestant Religous Tradition
Class/Power, Empire/Foreign Policy/Globalism, Popular Culture/Media/Music/Sports, Pluralism/Secularism/Culture Wars, Race/Ethnicity, Region/Urban/Rural, Nationalism/War/Civil Religion, Science/Technology/Environment Topics