Containers of Culture

Application of Anthropology in the Workplace: The Museum Context

Students enrolled in AN2114 “Australia through Time and Place” had the opportunity in October 2021 to learn about curatorial responsibilities by attending a workshop led by Trish Barnard (Curator, JCU Material Culture Collection; pictured above) and Rosita Henry (Professor of Anthropology). Skills-based learning focused on the curation of an exhibition installed in The Cairns Institute foyer.

The workshop was delivered by Ms Trish Barnard and Professor Rosita Henry. Students learned the value of exhibitions as a visible and effective way to communicate key messages through objects and interpretative labels and how to design an exhibition with audience engagement in mind - choice of objects, exhibition themes, lighting, ambience, research and the interpretation of information.

The students who attended were given the practical opportunity to plan and design their own exhibition, with a selection of objects from the JCU Material Culture Collection. They have entitled their exhibition “Containers of Culture”. An exhibition brief is currently being produced by a small team of students, led by Garth Abercrombie, and the exhibition was installed in late November 2021.