Anthropology of Art: British Museum Ethnographic Collection visit
Curious about the relationship between the Anthropology of Art and Ethnographic Museums? Our morning classroom session will provide the opportunity to understand the changing role and meaning of collecting practices in ethnographic museums. There will be an afternoon visit to explore the rich, diverse, ethnographic collections in the African Galleries at the British Museum.
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- We shall address the historical and contemporary relationship between the discipline of anthropology and ethnographic museum collecting practises. - The indigenous meaning involved in the making of ethnographic objects, and to what extent these meaning change from their traditional source to ethnographic museum collections. - How the interrelationship between indigenous artists, museum curators and anthropologists is transforming today.
What will we cover?
- Anthropology of Art - Ethnographic Museums - Indigenous Cultures - Writing Museum Labels
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Understand the historical relationship between Anthropology and the role of ethnographic museums. - Enhance your cultural art appreciation of British Museum African masks in the ethnographic museum collections - Analyse the cultural meaning of ethnographic objects and rewriting of museum labels and explain how this affects the meaning of exhibits in the collection today.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. An ability and willingness to explore relevant shared resources will increase what you get out of the course.
However, as with most of our courses, an open mind and a respectful willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.
Given the sensitive nature of some of the topics the course will explore, we also expect everyone to engage group and class discussions with respect and the willingness to learn from others.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Tutor introduction and student discussions, class visual exercises and tutor guided visit to the British Museum African Galleries. This classroom session will provide the opportunity to handle tutor art objects and write a related ethnographic museum label.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No additional costs, but you may wish to bring a notepad and pen or digital equivalent for note taking.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You might be interested in the following anthropology courses:
HA033 Anthropology of art, film and photography HA034 Poetics and politics of museums: repatriation and decolonisation HA007 Anthropology of space, place and the cultural landscape HA035 Doing anthropology: ethnographic research methods
Read more about social anthropology in Yasmin's blog, here:
Yasmin holds a BA (Hons) in Social Anthropology and an MA History of South Asian Art and Architecture from SOAS, University of London. She has worked as an educator and assistant curator at the V&A museum. Her interest in the social use of space, indigenous art and vernacular architecture was consolidated through fieldwork awards in Tamil Nadu, and latterly she commenced a research degree in the Anthropology of Architecture at Oxford Brookes and UCL. Yasmin has taught at Birkbeck, Goldsmiths, UAL, Pondicherry University and CEPT, Ahmedabad, India. At City Lit, she teaches Introductory and contemporary anthropology, anthropology of space, visual and material culture, ethnographic methods, and decolonisation of museum collections. She contributes to City Lit’s South Asian Heritage Month and Mental Wealth Festival, was a voluntary ethnographic researcher at UCL (MAL) and an educator at the ‘Another India’ exhibition, Cambridge Anthropology Museum. Yasmin is a research consultant and educator who delivers lectures and creative workshops on request. Read more on the City Lit blog: What is Anthropology and what does it entail? | City Lit
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/anthropology-of-art-british-museum-ethnographic-collection-visit3051706Anthropology of Art: British Museum Ethnographic Collection visithttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/o/wooden_masks.jpg6969GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Anthropology/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Anthropology/Anthropology22851177119511961228511771195<p>Curious about the relationship between the Anthropology of Art and Ethnographic Museums? Our morning classroom session will provide the opportunity to understand the changing role and meaning of collecting practices in ethnographic museums. There will be an afternoon visit to explore the rich, diverse, ethnographic collections in the African Galleries at the British Museum.</p>003012217Anthropology of Art: British Museum Ethnographic Collection visit6969https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/o/wooden_masks_1.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-06-13T00:00:00+00:00Jun 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHA0396969Anthropology of Art: British Museum Ethnographic Collection visit554569Yasmin Halesanthropology-of-art-british-museum-ethnographic-collection-visit/ha039-2526<p>Curious about the relationship between the Anthropology of Art and Ethnographic Museums? Our morning classroom session will provide the opportunity to understand the changing role and meaning of collecting practices in ethnographic museums. There will be an afternoon visit to explore the rich, diverse, ethnographic collections in the African Galleries at the British Museum.</p>0000-Available|2026-06-13 00:00:00- We shall address the historical and contemporary relationship between the discipline of anthropology and ethnographic museum collecting practises. <br>- The indigenous meaning involved in the making of ethnographic objects, and to what extent these meaning change from their traditional source to ethnographic museum collections. <br>- How the interrelationship between indigenous artists, museum curators and anthropologists is transforming today.<p>Curious about the relationship between the Anthropology of Art and Ethnographic Museums? Our morning classroom session will provide the opportunity to understand the changing role and meaning of collecting practices in ethnographic museums. There will be an afternoon visit to explore the rich, diverse, ethnographic collections in the African Galleries at the British Museum.</p><p>- Anthropology of Art<br>- Ethnographic Museums<br>- Indigenous Cultures<br>- Writing Museum Labels</p>- Understand the historical relationship between Anthropology and the role of ethnographic museums. <br>- Enhance your cultural art appreciation of British Museum African masks in the ethnographic museum collections <br>- Analyse the cultural meaning of ethnographic objects and rewriting of museum labels and explain how this affects the meaning of exhibits in the collection today.This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. An ability and willingness to explore relevant shared resources will increase what you get out of the course.<br><br>However, as with most of our courses, an open mind and a respectful willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.<br><br>Given the sensitive nature of some of the topics the course will explore, we also expect everyone to engage group and class discussions with respect and the willingness to learn from others.Tutor introduction and student discussions, class visual exercises and tutor guided visit to the British Museum African Galleries. This classroom session will provide the opportunity to handle tutor art objects and write a related ethnographic museum label.No additional costs, but you may wish to bring a notepad and pen or digital equivalent for note taking.<p>You might be interested in the following anthropology courses:</p><p>HA033 Anthropology of art, film and photography<br>HA034 Poetics and politics of museums: repatriation and decolonisation<br>HA007 Anthropology of space, place and the cultural landscape<br>HA035 Doing anthropology: ethnographic research methods</p><p> </p><p>Read more about social anthropology in Yasmin's blog, here:</p><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/what-is-anthropology-and-what-does-it-entail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What is Anthropology and what does it entail? | City Lit</a></p>AnthropologyAnthropologyvirtual556945HA039NONESat13/06/2610:30 - 16:3010:3016:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendKSKeeley StreetYasmin HalesAvailable courses2026-06-13T00:00:00+00:00Jun 2026Culture, history & humanities6969Anthropology of Art: British Museum Ethnographic Collection visitanthropology-of-art-british-museum-ethnographic-collection-visit/ha039-2526<p>Curious about the relationship between the Anthropology of Art and Ethnographic Museums? Our morning classroom session will provide the opportunity to understand the changing role and meaning of collecting practices in ethnographic museums. There will be an afternoon visit to explore the rich, diverse, ethnographic collections in the African Galleries at the British Museum.</p>0000-Available|2026-06-13 00:00:00- We shall address the historical and contemporary relationship between the discipline of anthropology and ethnographic museum collecting practises. <br>- The indigenous meaning involved in the making of ethnographic objects, and to what extent these meaning change from their traditional source to ethnographic museum collections. <br>- How the interrelationship between indigenous artists, museum curators and anthropologists is transforming today.<p>Curious about the relationship between the Anthropology of Art and Ethnographic Museums? Our morning classroom session will provide the opportunity to understand the changing role and meaning of collecting practices in ethnographic museums. There will be an afternoon visit to explore the rich, diverse, ethnographic collections in the African Galleries at the British Museum.</p><p>- Anthropology of Art<br>- Ethnographic Museums<br>- Indigenous Cultures<br>- Writing Museum Labels</p>- Understand the historical relationship between Anthropology and the role of ethnographic museums. <br>- Enhance your cultural art appreciation of British Museum African masks in the ethnographic museum collections <br>- Analyse the cultural meaning of ethnographic objects and rewriting of museum labels and explain how this affects the meaning of exhibits in the collection today.This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. An ability and willingness to explore relevant shared resources will increase what you get out of the course.<br><br>However, as with most of our courses, an open mind and a respectful willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.<br><br>Given the sensitive nature of some of the topics the course will explore, we also expect everyone to engage group and class discussions with respect and the willingness to learn from others.Tutor introduction and student discussions, class visual exercises and tutor guided visit to the British Museum African Galleries. This classroom session will provide the opportunity to handle tutor art objects and write a related ethnographic museum label.No additional costs, but you may wish to bring a notepad and pen or digital equivalent for note taking.<p>You might be interested in the following anthropology courses:</p><p>HA033 Anthropology of art, film and photography<br>HA034 Poetics and politics of museums: repatriation and decolonisation<br>HA007 Anthropology of space, place and the cultural landscape<br>HA035 Doing anthropology: ethnographic research methods</p><p> </p><p>Read more about social anthropology in Yasmin's blog, here:</p><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/what-is-anthropology-and-what-does-it-entail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What is Anthropology and what does it entail? | City Lit</a></p>AnthropologyAnthropologyconfigurable
11961195Anthropologyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/anthropology/anthropology-11/2/285/1177/1195/1196/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Anthropology/Anthropology
