The Museum encourages University faculty to utilize our exhibitions and collection to enhance curricular goals in all subject areas. The Museum's innovative teaching galleries provide unique object-based study and research opportunities for UVA faculty members across a wide-variety of disciplines.
Faculty are welcome to hold classes in the galleries and access pieces from the Museum's permanent collection relevant to their field—from the humanities to the sciences. The Museum strives to accommodate faculty needs whenever possible, and is available for course visits before and after, as well as during public open hours. Class visits can include talks by exhibition curators, or they can be facilitated independently by the course instructor. Visits should be scheduled in advance to avoid conflicts with other groups.
For assistance in planning your visit, including information about the collection or upcoming exhibitions, contact academic curator Jordan Love.
For faculty who are already familiar with the works on view and need only to check gallery availability, contact tour coordinator Keyandra Morris.
Fill Out the Adult group tour booking form (online)
For faculty already familiar with the collection who need specific objects pulled from storage, contact registrar Melanie Pyne.
Clinician's Eye
The Clinician's Eye Program—using art exposure to help medical students build their observational and diagnostic 'toolkit'—was launched in 2013 in partnership with U.Va.'s School of Medicine. Based on similar programs at leading medical schools, the program includes interactive tours of objects in the Museum, as well as drawing exercises that strengthen communication skills. Pre- and post-testing demonstrated a measurable impact; 90% of participants reported improved observational skills, increased tolerance for ambiguity, or heightened communication skills, and corresponding testing revealed a marked improvement in these abilities after one 2-hour workshop.
Departments across Grounds—from the Darden School to the School of Engineering—utilize the Clinician's Eye curriculum to develop observational skills in students and as a team-building exercise among staff. To schedule a workshop for your class or department, please contact academic curator Jordan Love.
