Case study - 4

Facts of the case

1. The University Art Museum was a source of pride for a distinguished university. It was
founded in 1932 by an alumnus who was also an investment banker. He donated the building,
an endowment, and his own collections, which included Etruscan figurines and English Pre-
Raphaelite paintings.

2. The founder served as the museum's unpaid director until his death, primarily bringing in
collections from alumni. The museum rarely made purchases, resulting in a diverse but
uneven collection.

3. During the founder's tenure, the museum was not open to the public but only accessible to
a few art history faculty members.

4. After the founder's death, the university planned to hire a professional museum director. A
graduate student in art history temporarily took over and eventually became the director.

5. Miss Kirkhoff, the new director, transformed the museum. She catalogued the collections,
pursued donations, organized fundraisers, and integrated the museum into the university's
activities.

6. Miss Kirkhoff ran the museum for almost 50 years, making it financially stable and
popular among the university community. She recommended hiring a professional director
upon her retirement.

7. The university followed Miss Kirkhoff's advice and appointed a qualified director, but his
tenure was marked by controversy. He aimed to make the museum a "community resource,"
which led to disagreements with faculty and students.

8. The new director brought in traveling exhibitions, which attracted school children and
disrupted the quiet atmosphere of the museum.

9. Student attendance in classes and seminars at the museum declined, and there was criticism
of the museum becoming too "sensational."

10. An Islamic art exhibit in 2003 further strained relations as the director invited an Arab
embassy's cultural attaché, who criticized Israel and American policy.
11. The university senate established an advisory committee, and the director criticized the
faculty as "elitist" and "snobbish."

12. The director resigned in 2004, prompting the need to appoint a new director. The faculty
had diverse opinions on the museum's mission and direction.

13. Key questions for consideration included the purpose of the museum, its target audience,
compatibility of different purposes, implications for museum structure and director
qualifications, and the need for understanding the needs of potential customers.
Question 1:
Part 1- to serve as a lab
Amalgamating the university and the museum is good to serve as a laboratory because it
gives a very practical ad creative space for art historians can analyze various artworks also
offers unique teaching and learning opportunities.
Part 2- enrichment for UG liberal and non-liberal students
It is also a fantastic resource for undergrad students who may or may not stud y art history
but in turn could broaden their knowledge and exposure. A unique opportunity to explore the
intricacies of art and give them a balanced academic exposure than being book fed.
Part 3- to serve metropolitan commu
It means that museum will be open to general people which will inculcate art history as a
concept in people’s lives. Contributes to cultural enrichment of the entire region.
My view- serve as a lab becuz primary focus of uni along with museum is to an
educational mission benefitting the students of art history by inculcating first hand
exposure.
Question 2:
Grad students preparing to be faculty of art history as customers because they benefit from
the collections and acquire practical knowledge. It is a valuable educational resource for
them.
Ug students or entire college community as customers as they get the balance in their
academic experience and cultural enrichment.it will be a form of holistic approach of the uni
museum.
Metropolitan will make the museum more open and welcoming. Inculcates community
integration on broader scale
My view – first should be undergrad community and then entire college and them
maybe if accommodated the other community as the museums main goal is to enrich the
students of the university and give them well-rounded education.
Question 3:
3 simultaneously cases can be brought up
1.lab for grad and doc students – as both forming a broader community will have more
insights and more exposure to each other in k owing view points of the other.
2.seving as enrichment aligns with museums mission in inculcating education in its core. So
it could mutually be exclusive.
3.metropolitian as the high schoolers and schools as one on accommodating days to help the
museum achieve its way of inculcating the other community. And make it more open and
broader for the people.
Question 4:
Purpose 1 – museum to support the academic activities of students. Need specialized care and
the director for such needs to have a strong knowledge in art history academia. And uni
should have close relations with the art history department.
Purpose 2 – for undergrads it needs to have exhibits and educational outreach programs. The
director should have outreach to various such museums and needs understating of art.the
museum should collaborate with various academic des to have enrichment of academia.
Purpose 3 – serving metropolitan Comm the museum should have open exhibitions and art
gatherings. The director should have strong connection as with diff schools and orgs. This
ensures community inclusivity.
Question 5:
Yes we need to make more efforts in gathering info regarding the needs of various sects to
make intelligent policy decisions for the university museum.
We could-
a) Conduct surveys nd feedback sessions including all the sects to know abt their
experience and how we could make it better.
b) Focus groups for specific requirements.
c) Review comparable institutions as we can see there are other such unis museums
present and see its working for making it better.
Are these the right questions to ask?
They are the right question as they address the key issues that effect university museums
future workings.to identify the purpose, customers, the effects of choices and its analyzation
leads a stronger understanding of the museum and better the museum. Helps in making better
decisions that align with, museums interest and growth.