I've recently finished Jay Kirk's Kingdom Under Glass (review to follow soon), and it's made me want to read up more on the history of history museums. Here's the book list I'm working on right now--recommendations would be lovely!
Still Life:Adventures in Taxidermy by Melissa Milgrom.
-Inspired directly by Kirk's book, I'm eager to learn more about the art that featured so prominently in America's first museums.
The Species Seekers: heroes, fools, and the mad pursuit of life on earth by Richard Conniff
-A gentleman I knew at the Field Museum had a species of bird named after him not too long ago, the Laniarius willardi, and this selection is in honor of him. I love the idea of these people who purposely seek out the unknown; they're the engine behind museum research and also a little bit crazy--sounds like the perfect combo to me!
The Participatory Museum by Nina Simon
-I really enjoy Nina's Museum 2.0 blog (though I have to limit my reading of it in order to keep this space from being a complete carbon copy of her), and I'm excited to read her thoughts in a more extended form.
Dry Storeroom #1: the secret life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey
-I tend to gravitate towards novelistic histories, and this seems to fit the bill as an engaging history of museums.
What are you reading about Museums? I'd love some suggestions to expand my reading list!
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