“ART FOR THE MILLIONS:” THE EVOLUTION OF INFORMAL LEARNING FROM THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM TO THE NEW DEAL

The advent of the first museum in the United States in 1773, The Charleston Museum, sparked a shift in the way education is perceived and how it can be conducted. However, only recently has the intentional implementation of programs and exhibitions been created in a digestible way for the public. This thesis discusses how informal learning has evolved since the establishment of the Charleston Museum and the legacy of the Federal Art Project regarding informal learning and art education. Key research methods include the examination of primary and secondary resources, including oral histories held by the Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Using these in conjunction with the work of theorists John Cotton Dana, a library and museum professional, and John Dewey, a theorist of experiential learning, connections are made between art education, museums, and libraries and what they share with the histories of the Charleston Art Museum and the Federal Art Project. Building upon these resources and drawing new conclusions, this thesis ultimately explores the lasting legacies both have had on informal learning of art and history in museums and beyond.