From Nails to Rails: A Report in the Practical Application of Theoretical Museology

Abstract

Theoretical museology is the study of museums, including explorations of their history, role in society, and the activities they engage in for the benefit of the communities that they serve which include curating, public programming, education and preservation. This paper will examine the theoretical foundations and a practical application of museology at the Steelworks Center of the West in Pueblo, Colorado (USA). The aim is to stimulate critical thinking on the transfer and cross-cultural application of standard, professional museum models and methods. It will also examine how the Steelworks Center provides for a study of museology within the environment, particularly regarding the ways in which people learn. These will include the role of museum education as an alternative to the tradiPapers • From Nails to Rails [...] 108 tional methods of study, and also, museum education as a trainer for non-conformist thinking.