Museum Studies

Program Highlights

�ʹڲ��ַ’s curriculum represents many of the disciplines typically covered by museums, such as art, anthropology, history, geography, science, theatre, music, and politics.
Faculty networks of contacts can assist students interested in studying abroad, conducting research, or pursuing internships.
The museum studies minor demonstrates how knowledge from business, anthropology, biology, communications, and other fields can be applied in the museum profession.
The student-managed Kinetic Gallery on campus offers students opportunities to get involved in exhibition programming and design.
Every museum studies class offers practical experience in exhibition design, cataloging, data management, artist-curator networking, and basic preservation techniques.
The minor can teach students from any major—such as business, anthropology, biology, or communications—how to apply their skills to museum work.

Museum Studies

Why choose museum studies at �ʹڲ��ַ?

Studying museum management and museum studies offers students the opportunity to understand how museums operate as cultural, educational, and civic institutions while developing the practical skills needed to work within them. The field combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on training in areas such as collections care, exhibition design, education, and digital engagement, while also emphasizing essential management practices like fundraising, budgeting, marketing, and community relations. It encourages students to grapple with pressing issues of ethics, representation, restitution, decolonization, and accessibility, preparing them to contribute to a more inclusive museum landscape.

The minor also equips future professionals to navigate the rapid changes museums face, from financial challenges to technological innovation, and to imagine new ways of making museums relevant in contemporary society. Because museums integrate disciplines ranging from art and history to science and technology, studying museum management and museum studies cultivates an interdisciplinary perspective and fosters adaptability across careers.