Critical Museology: Towards a Thematic Polyphony in Research Approaches

The article analyzes the thematic polyphony of research approaches evident in works related to the early development of critical museology, a field that gained traction from the 1980s onwards. A principle tenet of this nascent field was the execution of critical analyses of the museum institution in the framework of the socio-cultural and socio-political milieu in which it operated. The author examines the range of topics addressed in the works of museologists working in this field. The case studies of Canadian anthropologist M. Amis, American art historians C. Duncan and A. Walloch were chosen. The analyzed works demonstrate the potential of critical muse-ology to illuminate the current state of the museum and its societal function, the history of museology, museum biography, iconographic analysis of museum architecture, and the organization of exhibition space. This investiga-tion highlights the diverse analytical lenses offered by critical museology for understanding the museum as a dy-namic and multifaceted institution, embedded within and reflective of broader societal forces.