The university museum: the museum of ideas/ the museum of objects

In this paper, the author discusses the role and tasks of university museums based on the experiences of the Cracow University of Technology founded in 2004. The issue identified in the title, regarding the participation of ideas and objects in the activity of university museums has been presented from the angle of cultural anthropology which, aside from material and non-material culture, distinguishes social culture as well. This is the field where both the university’s and the museum’s educational and scientific initiatives are carried out, which requires merging the missions of both institutions. Applying the category of ‘science’ to the cultural background allows the adjustment of the university museum’s profile and its activity capabilities to many different types of universities.

In this paper, the author discusses the role and tasks of university museums based on the experiences of the Cracow University of Technology founded in 2004. The issue identified in the title, regarding the participation of ideas and objects in the activity of university museums has been presented from the angle of cultural anthropology which, aside from material and non-material culture, distinguishes social culture as well. This is the field where both the university’s and the museum’s educational and scientific initiatives are carried out, which requires merging the missions of both institutions. Applying the category of ‘science’ to the cultural background allows the adjustment of the university museum’s profile and its activity capabilities to many different types of universities.