Museology, Museums and Museological Training in Latin America in the Second Half of the 20th Century: Some Background and Case Studies

This paper examines the development of museology as an academic discipline in Latin America and outlines the process by drawing on three case studies: Costa Rica, Mexico, and Colombia. It begins with a brief presentation of the situation regarding museum institutions and the general aspects which limited their development, as well as some of the ideas prevailing in the cultural environment. It also describes the different contexts (structural, institutional, philosophical) which influenced the development of museology in the region. Finally, the article ends by discussing the main characteristics of the museological curricula in several Latin American universities and their impact on the field.