Smart Museum of Art University of Chicago

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About the Smart Museum

As the art museum of the University of Chicago, the Smart Museum of Art takes a distinctly interdisciplinary approach to the collection, display, and interpretation of art. Founded in 1974, the Smart is home to acclaimed special exhibitions and a permanent collection that spans five thousand years of artistic creation. Working in close collaboration with scholars from the University of Chicago, the Smart has established itself as a leading academic art museum and an engine of adventurous thinking about the visual arts and their place in society.

Mission statement

As the art museum of the University of Chicago, the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art promotes the understanding of the visual arts and their importance to cultural and intellectual history through direct experiences with original works of art and through an interdisciplinary approach to its collections, exhibitions, publications, and programs. These activities support life-long learning among a range of audiences including the University and the broader community.

Support

The Smart Museum’s programs and general operations are supported in part by Smart Partners; the Smart Family Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the Audrey and Michael Wyatt Art Education Fund; the Eloise W. Martin Fund; the Office of the Provost, The University of Chicago; the Polk Bros. Foundation; and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.