HSEM2541V: Campus Obscura: A University of Minnesota Cabinet of Curiosity

This course examines the history of science, technology, and medicine through physical objects - maps, rare books, artifacts, instruments, specimens, manuscripts and considers how they are used to write history, produce public exhibits, and create identities. Short readings will introduce ideas about how experts have used these materials to write history, to produce public exhibits, and to create identities, and the focus of the course will be on objects themselves and having students do research that facilities their understanding of historical context. The University of Minnesota has many significant collections of artifacts and other items that are rich resources for the exploration of historically significant material culture, and continue to shape the University of Minnesota. Students will visit the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine, the Goldstein Museum of Design, the University Archives, the Weisman Art Museum, and the College of Biological Science?s Conservatory, among other sites.

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