Museums

The Hein and Weil readings on museums really made me think about the purposes of museums these days. It seems to me that one of the only reasons I ever go to museums is for educational purposes. Other than art museums, I only go to museums for education. And many of the times I do go to art museums it is for education. While some people might think that this shouldn't be so, I think it is perfectly fine. Museums don't have to just be for enjoyment. They are a huge tool in education and can provide so much hands on and visual experience for those who want to learn. There are museums for everything: art, science, history, politics, social issues, and so many more. You can learn about almost anything at a museum. Growing up, some of my favorite times were spent in museums on field trips.
Art museums can be an exception though. Many are not aimed at education, but still fulfill this purpose. I enjoy art museums more when just wandering around for enjoyment. Focusing on the educational aspects of the art takes away from the beauty of it, in my opinion. I'd prefer to focus on the piece as a whole and take it all in. That's just my preference though. I still think that art museums are great for educational purposes.