The Manual of Museum Learning

Based on the premise the learning within the twenty-first-century museum setting is informal, voluntary, and affective, this volume presents both theory and case studies on how to optimize that learning. Building on material in the widely held 2007 first edition, the authors explore new settings and formats for educational experiences, from school-museum partnerships to the possibilities (such as Makerspaces) made available by the digital world. By analyzing the different resources a museum has, from collections of rare and beautiful objects to interactive learning spaces, the authors enumerate the different learning spaces. Four case studies offer precise examples of the ideas being presented. The authors have a wide range of experience in the museum world, from art and textile museums to botanical gardens. They provide a panoply of approaches to enhance the visitors’ experience, and to increase their understanding of the collections and exhibits they encounter. Any reader interested in improving the learning experience, for people at any stage of life, will find this volume of interest and use. Academic libraries and any others serving an education clientele should consider this volume, even if they own the first edition. Museum study programs will be most interested in this information. * American Reference Books Annual *
The Manual of Museum Learning is certainly a practical and thoughtful resource for those working or studying in the museum arena, and others can benefit from its broad offerings, too. Any professional working in an industry or institution with parallel goals as the learning museum can profit from its foundational approach to meaningful, systemic change. * Journal Of Museum Education *
Rich in examples and hard-won experience, this fascinating book provides an invaluable survey for those administering, running, and publicizing museums, who need to  attract new audiences. And if you’re planning a museum, this is an admirable starting point, for the editors and contributors know of what they write and are bursting with ideas. Everyone who loves, and works with, museums should own this invaluable volume. -- Brian Fagan, former museum officer, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of numerous general books on the past
This new edition of The Manual of Museum Learning  is a collection of visionary, innovative approaches to museum learning that explores untapped potential in innovative partnerships, community collaborations and shared intellect. -- Patrice Farquharson, Associate Professor, Post University and Executive Director, West Haven Child Development Center, Connecticut
For those interested in educational partnerships between museums and other types of organizations, this book provides an exciting survey of opportunities, as well as practical, ‘how to;  information from successful case studies. I highly recommend the book to anyone working in public education, whether it be a formal or informal learning institution, interested in how museums can help achieve shared educational goals. -- Mariana Borrego Hoffmann, General Advisor to the CEO, Petroleos Mexicanos and Project Lead, Museo Nacional de Energia y Tecnologia (National Museum of Energy and Technology), Mexico City