Culin was among the first curators to recognize museum installation as an art form .
Culin , a self - taught ethnologist , built the foundation of four curatorial collections for the Museum , acquiring objects representing African , Asian , Native American , and Eastern European cultures .
ethnologist was among the first curators to recognize museum installation as an art form .
Culin , a self - taught ethnologist , built the foundation of four curatorial collections for the Museum , acquiring objects representing African , Asian , Native American , and Eastern European cultures .