Faculty and Student Initiatives
Supporting teaching and research
As an academic art museum, the Smart continually engages with and contributes to the intellectual life of the University of Chicago. Through a variety of academic initiatives—not to mention public talks, lectures, and symposia—the Museum facilitates new scholarship and serves as a forum for interdisciplinary study. The Smart Museum also strives to make original experiences with art accessible to the entire campus community, from first-years in the famed Core to medical students honing their observational skills.
Tours and classroom visits
Faculty from all University departments and divisions are welcome to use the Smart as a resource in the classroom, either by scheduling a tour of the galleries or by arranging a visit to our study room to see works not on view.
Visits to the study room are flexible, intimate, and particularly enriching. In tandem with our staff and curators, instructors select up to fifteen works from the Smart’s collection that support the themes and goals of the course but are not currently on view in our galleries. The seminar-style room allows students to view the works closely and engage in related discussion while seated around a table.
Please arrange a classroom visit at least two weeks in advance or contact Alice Kain with any questions.
Schedule a visit to the study room
The Mellon Program
The Smart’s signature Mellon exhibition series has spurred new scholarship and strengthened connections between the University of Chicago and the Museum since 1992. Generously funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the program supports the development of exhibitions and courses grounded in the Smart Museum’s permanent collection.
Thanks to recent additional support, the Smart now offers Mellon grants for faculty initiatives.
Exhibition workshops
In the early planning stages of all our major exhibitions, the Smart convenes an interdisciplinary, invitation-only faculty workshop to debate the project’s conceptual frameworks, gather feedback, and discuss potential areas of collaboration. As a forum for engagement, these workshops seek to deepen and extend the academic impact of the Smart’s special exhibitions. Contact Anne Leonard to learn more.
Cultivating a love of art
Active both inside and outside of the classroom and open to all University of Chicago students, the Smart Museum is an integral part of the campus community. Through interdisciplinary lectures and coursework, the Smart engages art history majors and non-majors alike in conversations about the place of visual arts in society—an essential component of a liberal education. The Museum is also a hub of student life, a spot to enjoy an espresso with friends or to escape to for an inspirational study break.
Arts Pass
The UChicago Arts Pass allows University of Chicago students to become a Smart Partner for free. Just show your UCID at our information desk to take advantage of this special offer. Benefits inlclude invitations to openings and special student events, a 10% discount on every purchase at the Smart Museum café, and more.
Thursday nights
On Thursday evenings during the school year, the Smart Museum partners with campus organizations to present sketching nights, concerts, readings, and other social events. All registered student organizations and residence halls are welcome to host an event—for free—on Thursdays during public hours from 5:30–7:30 pm.
For more information or to reserve a date, e-mail Sarah Polachek or call 773.612.1536.
Job opportunities
Through our student docent and internship programs, the Smart Museum has played a vital role in cultivating and training a generation of museum professionals, educators, and scholars. The employment opportunities are numerous—over ninety students work at the Smart each year—and include long-term internships in a variety of departments, docent positions, and other jobs that are crucial to the day-to-day operation of the Museum.
Study at the Smart
Once a quarter during reading period, the Smart throws open its doors to students seeking a different sort of late-night study experience. Tables, chairs, and power outlets are scattered amidst the art in the galleries, creating a unique and inspirational environment for students to catch up on reading, go over notes, or work on papers. The late-night sessions (9 pm–1 am) include free coffee. Check the online calendar for the next Study at the Smart event.
Feast | Opens February 16
Discover the radical history of the shared meal as an artistic medium.
Family Days
On the first Saturday of every month, drop by the Smart and join in the free creative family activities!
