Useful Objects: Nineteenth-Century Museums and American Culture

On Wednesday, Nov. 17 explore what the history of museums suggests about their role in American culture today. Learn what kinds of objects were considered worth collecting and who decided their value in a virtual discussion. Join Reed Gochberg, assistant director of studies and lecturer on history and literature at Harvard University, to learn about the early history of American museums, including Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology. Reed is the author of "Useful Objects: Museums, Science, and Literature in Nineteenth-Century America" (Oxford University Press, September 2021). In conversation with HMSC Executive Director Brenda Tindal, she will examine how writers and visitors reflected on a wide range of nineteenth-century collections—and how their ideas continue to inform ongoing debates about the challenges and possibilities museums face today. This event is presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.