Classes across the university from any number of departments and disciplines visit the museum each week as a means to enrich courses. Callan Steinmann, head of education and curator of academic and public programs at the museum, works to bring people and art together, especially through connecting the academic audience at UGA with the museum’s vast permanent collection and visiting exhibitions.
Some classes meet in the building every week, including museum studies classes and first-year odyssey programs. Others schedule visits as something out of the ordinary, to enhance their classwork through learning directly from objects. Temporary exhibitions often provide opportunities to work with UGA professors, but students don’t just see what’s on view in the galleries. The museum’s Shannon and Peter Candler Collection Study Room is booked solid during the academic year, as museum staff retrieve objects from storage so that classes in all disciplines can view and use them.
“There is so much exciting potential for faculty to use the museum as an extension of the classroom,” said Steinmann. “Our collection and galleries provide unique opportunities for object-based, experiential learning that aligns with course objectives and supports skill building in visual literacy, critical thinking, communication and creative expression.”
Students can learn a lot from a visit to the museum — whether contemplating a different perspective, understanding the technical aspects of printmaking or learning how to slow down and look.