Abstract:

Against the backdrop of the booming development of China’s cultural heritage sector, the conceptual evolution from“cultural relics”to“cultural heritage”reflects an expansion in the scope of museum protection and research, shifting from static material objects to living culture. Correspondingly, the function of museums has gradually transformed from collection-centered institutions for research into cultural hubs that prioritize both artifacts and people. At the disciplinary level, museums share a common research object with archaeology and cultural relics studies, fostering close interdisciplinary interactions. This intersectionality highlights both the possibility and necessity of systematically integrating and leading related theories under the umbrella of Heritage Studies as a first-level discipline. As a pivotal field for cultural heritage knowledge practice, museums can leverage interdisciplinary approaches to constructing a value-centric circular system, thereby elevating Cultural Heritage Studies into a foundational platform that integrates related disciplines and providing the theoretical underpinning and developmental impetus for establishing a system of cultural heritage disciplines with Chinese characteristics.

Key words: Cultural Heritage Studies, Museum Theory, pluralistic values, knowledge system;disciplinary framework