FutureLearn

Behind the Scenes at the 21st Century Museum (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Leicester,
Behind the Scenes at the 21st Century Museum (FutureLearn)

Get an introduction to museum studies with this free online course. Learn about the people and ideas that shape museums today. How can we understand museums today? Who makes the decisions about what to put in them and whose stories they tell? Who are museums for and why are they working to engage new audiences? How do we respond emotionally to museum objects and spaces? And how can museums play a role in the pursuit of social justice, human rights, or health and wellbeing?

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

On this course you will explore these questions through a range of inspirational case studies and thought-provoking ideas. Discover how modern museums seek to impact our contemporary world, learning with National Museums Liverpool, one of the UK’s leading museum services, and the University of Leicester, pioneers of museum studies for over 50 years.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Creating Meaningful and Inclusive Museum Practices (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
International Council of Museums

Creating Meaningful and Inclusive Museum Practices (FutureLearn)

Social Sciences

Learn how to engage and collaborate with diverse communities to turn museums into spaces of social inclusion and belonging. Encourage wider cultural participation, community inclusion, and co-curation. This course will broaden your perspective on the role of contemporary museums in community engagement and equip you with the skills to develop meaningful and inclusive museum projects.

Nov 29th 2021
4 Weeks
Museums Inclusion Museum Objects
Details
New Energy Technologies: Energy Transition and Sustainable Development (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Grenoble Ecole de Management

New Energy Technologies: Energy Transition and Sustainable Development (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Sci: Energy & Earth Sciences

Explore the development of new energy technologies and discover key energy challenges with this online course. In a world facing pressing energy challenges, the need for alternative energy and new energy technologies has never been more pressing. This course explores the new and upcoming technologies that may help solve some of the world’s biggest energy challenges - examining them from both a business and technological perspective.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Energy Solar Energy Sustainable Development
Details
Seeing Through Photographs (Coursera) Coursera
The Museum of Modern Art

Seeing Through Photographs (Coursera)

Film & Audio

Although taking, sharing, and viewing photographs has become second nature for many of us, our regular engagement with images does not necessarily make us visually literate. This course aims to address the gap between seeing and truly understanding photographs by introducing a diversity of ideas, approaches, and technologies that inform their making. In this course you will look closely at 100 photographs from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, going behind the scenes of the Museum and into artist studios through original films and audio interviews.

Aug 24th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Image History Photography
Details
Managing Museums in the 21st Century, a My Armenia Program series (edX) EdX
Smithsonian,SmithsonianX

Managing Museums in the 21st Century, a My Armenia Program series (edX)

Management & Leadership Humanities

This course provides a broad introduction to various aspects of operating a museum. This course is not intended to serve as a primer for managing a museum, but rather as a resource for thinking about different approaches to museum operations and activities as shared by a number of diverse Smithsonian professionals. Parts of this course were developed for the My Armenia Program, a collaborative program of the people of Armenia, USAID, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Social Media Fundraising Museums
Details
What Is Contemporary Art? (Coursera) Coursera
The Museum of Modern Art

What Is Contemporary Art? (Coursera)

Art and Culture

What is contemporary art? In this course, you’ll consider this question through more than 70 works of art made between 1980 and the present, with a focus on art from the past decade. You’ll hear directly from artists, architects, and designers from around the globe about their creative processes, materials, and inspiration.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
History Art Creativity
Details
Digital Skills: Digital Marketing (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Accenture

Digital Skills: Digital Marketing (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Business

Learn about some of the different digital marketing strategies and techniques that are available for businesses to use. Digital marketing can be a crucial tool to grow a business. On this course you will explore what digital marketing is, why it is important and look at some digital marketing strategies including display advertising, pay per click advertising, search engine optimisation and email marketing.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Advertising Digital Skills Digital Marketing
Details
Communication and Interpersonal Skills at Work (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds,Institute of Coding

Communication and Interpersonal Skills at Work (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Business

Improve your communication skills at work and learn how to navigate positive collaboration in the modern workplace. Discover useful communication strategies for the workplace. Whether we communicate from behind a screen or face to face, strong interpersonal skills allow us to share ideas, points of view, expertise, and information effectively. On this course, you’ll discover the best communication strategies for effective workplace collaboration, and reflect on your own personal communication style.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Business Workplace Communication
Details
Starting a Business 1: Vision and Opportunity (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds

Starting a Business 1: Vision and Opportunity (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership

Interested in starting a business? This course will help you define your vision and discover opportunities to make it happen. A successful business starts with a clear vision and a thorough understanding of the opportunities available to turn that vision into a reality. Whether you have an idea for a future venture or you already have a side-line business whilst studying, this course will help you consider your vision and explore the opportunities available.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Business Vision Startup
Details
People Management Skills (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
CIPD - Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

People Management Skills (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership

Discover the key methods, strategies and principles of people management and develop your own management style. Become a successful line manager. Whether you’re a natural leader or want to improve your management skills, this 5-week course will teach you the people management skills you need on your journey towards becoming a successful line manager.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
Management People Management
Details