From Mouseion to Global Museums: A Historical Analysis of Museums as Epistemic Institutions

Abstract

This article examines the historical development of museums as epistemic institutions through a chronological and analytical framework encompassing six major periods: the classical, Renaissance, Enlightenment, colonial, postcolonial, and contemporary eras. Employing a qualitative literature-based approach, the study analyses transformations in museum functions, structures, and underlying epistemological foundations. The findings reveal that museums have undergone significant transformations from text-based scholarly institutions to object-cantered systems, later evolving into instruments of power during the colonial period, and ultimately emerging as global epistemic institutions in the contemporary era. These shifts reflect broader changes in human knowledge systems and the relationship between knowledge, power, and representation. The study argues that museums are not merely repositories of artefacts but active agents in the production and structuring of knowledge and historical consciousness. While contemporary museums have become more inclusive and reflexive, their epistemological foundations remain largely rooted in Enlightenment-based Western traditions. The primary contribution of this article lies in its integrative framework, which connects museum history with epistemological transformation and power–knowledge theory. In addition, the study introduces a holistic interpretive perspective that highlights the potential for rethinking museum practices beyond dominant epistemological paradigms.