The University Museum and the Making of Academic Heritage

This book provides a critical examination of the underexplored concept of academic heritage through a detailed case study of the Collegium Maius Museum at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland.

The book examines the theoretical boundaries of academic heritage by exploring the collections and institutional narratives of university museums, comparing practices at the Jagiellonian University Museum with other prominent university museums. Chapters also explore storytelling and narrative construction at the Jagiellonian University Museum by outlining the museum’s role in shaping the university’s image and studying the politicization of the legacy of Nicolaus Copernicus. The book also addresses overlooked aspects of academic heritage, such as multisensory experiences and the interrelationship between university and urban heritage.

This volume will be of interest of researchers and academics in museology, critical heritage studies, and the history of higher education, as well as practitioners working in academic museums.