Preparing for an Art Museum
Experience
Unit 5: Lesson 3
Museum Vocabulary
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MUSEUM: a building or institution displaying objects of historical, artistic,
scientifical or cultural interest
COLLECTION: the objects and artworks held by a museum
PERMANENT COLLECTION: the objects and artworks owned by the museum
TEMPORARY EXHIBITION: the objects and artwork borrowed for a certain period
of time by a museum from another institution or from private owners
GALLERY: a space devoted to the display of works of art
EXHIBITION: a public display of a group of artwork, often organized around a
specific theme/idea
COAT CHECK ROOM: a space where you leave your coat, backpack, umbrella and
other objects before entering the museum galleries
VISITOR’S DESK: a space in the entrance of the museum where you pay admission
or find information about special exhibitions, tours, lectures, family programs and
workshops and written material such as the museum’s floor plan
CATALOG: a museum publication that can address a special exhibition or the
permanent collection
LEARNING CENTER: a space dedicated to hosting interactive educational programs,
often for families
Museum Vocabulary
PEOPLE WHO WORK AT AN ART MUSEUM:
• CURATOR: a person who plans exhibitions, does research and organizes
objects or artwork around ideas
• EDUCATOR: a person who develops materials and programs that will
support the exhibitions and who looks for ways of making the works of art
and exhibitions accessible to all visitors
• DOCENT: a person who gives tours to the public
• DIRECTOR: a person who oversees the museum and sets the strategic plan
and goals for the museum
• REGISTRAR: a person who organizes, catalogues and maintains the
records of the works in the collection
• CONSERVATOR: a person who conserves, repairs and protects the works
of art in the museum collection
• GUARD: a person who makes sure that the public follows proper museum
behavior (museum etiquette) in order to protect the works of art and the
space of the museum
Museum Vocabulary
WORKS OF ART:
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ORIGINAL: a one-of-a-kind image or object made by an artist
REPRODUCTION: a copy of the original version of an artwork
PAINTING: an artwork made using paint or another wet medium and applied
to a two-dimensional canvas or paper
SCULPTURE: an artwork that is three-dimensional in form
PHOTOGRAPHY: an image created by a camera
CERAMICS: the art of making and decorating pottery
COSTUME: clothing displayed in a museum as artwork
DECORATIVE ARTS: items that have both utilitarian and aesthetic value
DRAWING: artworks created using pencil, pen, charcoal or another dry
medium on a two-dimensional surface
TEXTILE: a work of art that is woven and made out of fibers such as wool,
cotton or jute
COLLAGE: a work of art where pieces of different objects or materials are
pasted into a surface
Museum Vocabulary
ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY:
• TWO-DIMENSIONS: width and height
• THREE-DIMENSIONS: width, height and depth
• HERITAGE: valued cultural objects and qualities such as traditions, historic
buildings or artworks that have been passed down from previous generations
Museum labels
Benjamin West (1738-1820)
Portrait of the Artist’s Sons, Raphael west and
Benjamin West Jr., Playing with Dogs, 1775
Oil on canvas
41 x 31.5 inches
Private Collection
Museum labels
Gordon Parks (1912-2006)
Little Richard, Harlem, New York, 1967
Archival Pigment Print
14 x 11 inches
Courtesy The Gordon Parks Foundation
© The Gordon Parks Foundation
Museum labels
Makusi Panqutu (1933-1973)
Inuit Mother with Twins, ca. 1960
Grey Stone
15 x 14 x 12 inches
Arctic Artistry Gallery
Museum labels
Chinese
Ancestor Portrait, ca. 1860
57.5 x 37.5 inches
Ink and mineral colors on tightly woven silk,
mounted on paper
Lisbeth and Frank Stern
We came across this gentle looking portrait as we wandered through the
antique district in Hong Kong on Hollywood Road twenty years ago. We
were struck by the expression on the man’s face, so much like our
grandfathers. There portraits, referred to as “ancestor paintings,” were
specifically painted for use on ancestor worship. The face was the most
important part of the painting, and therefore the artists went to great
lengths to make as realistic as possible.