Museum and Curatorial Studies

Faculty: Faculty of Arts

Degree options:  

• Any degree, minor

Other degree options you might be interested in:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA), major or minor in Art History
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
• BA, major or minor in Fine Arts

At Mount Allison, the museum and curatorial studies program offers an interdisciplinary approach to art history, commerce, Canadian studies, and classics with the resources and professional staff of the Owens Art Gallery, Colville House, the Mount Allison Libraries and Archives, and the Visiting Artists and Curators program.

Course offerings include:

• arts and culture management
• museum education and community engagement
• curating and critical writing
• close study of collections and issues around collecting, including the repatriation of Indigenous objects
• archives
• critical study of art museums and galleries
• museum and gallery practicums

Students pursuing a minor in museum and curatorial studies can undertake an experiential learning component in their senior year.

Find a list of about museum and curatorial studies courses in the academic calendar – art history.

Not sure about the difference between a major, a minor, and an honours?

A background in and can lead to professions in:

• curating
• museum education
• conservation
• collections
• marketing or administration in the arts

"Majoring in art history at Mount Allison provided me not only with a solid knowledge in the conventional history of art, but also in modern practices of museum and curatorial studies. These courses helped me connect my interests in art and business over my time at Mount Allison. Being able to learn these modern practices in the actual art world within a small program is very rare and I appreciate the fact that the art history program is diverse in its curriculum. It has really assisted in my plans for future study and work in this field."

Runa Nishiyama (’19)
Art history and classical studies, minor in museum and curatorial studies
Tokyo, Japan

Owens Art Gallery

Opened to the public in 1895, Mount Allison’s Owens Art Gallery is the oldest university art gallery in Canada and is an invaluable resource to art history students. The gallery’s collection contains 3,200 works of art, including paintings, photographs, prints, sculpture, and multi-media work by established Canadian and international artists. One of the featured permanent exhibitions is devoted to the work of renowned Canadian artist – and Fine Arts alumnus – Alex Colville ('42). Changing exhibitions highlight contemporary and historical art by regional, national and international artists. The gallery also presents a variety of artists' talks, workshops, and special events throughout the year.

Several other art galleries are also located in the community, including Colville House on the Mount Allison campus, the Struts Gallery and Faucet Media Arts Centre, START — Mount Allison’s student-run art gallery, and the Fog Forest Gallery.

Fine Art Conservation Lab

The Fine Art Conservation Lab at Mount Allison is a significant resource within the Owens Art Gallery – it provides facilities and equipment for the documentation, preservation and treatment of artwork from the Gallery's collection and offers important mentoring opportunities for Mount Allison students who wish to work with the gallery's Fine Art Conservator. This is the only paintings conservation lab in New Brunswick.

Student employment opportunities

At the Owens Art Gallery students work at the front desk, assist with family programing and undertake placements in the Fine Art Conservation Lab.

Faculty spotlight

Anne Koval
Professor, Fine Arts

Independent curator in historical and contemporary art, art historian, and poet

» Student-curated art exhibitions open on campus as part of Fine Arts seminar class