“Grand Canal, Venice,” no date, by Franz-Richard Unterberger, part of Syracuse University’s permanent art collection.
The Syracuse University Art Galleries has changed its name to the Syracuse University Art Museum. In order to communicate to the public a clearer sense of its identity and to draw attention to its arts holdings, this name change from “galleries” to “museum” more accurately describes the institution’s mission and programs. The museum will also adopt a new logo and expand its digital platform.
The dedicated museum staff serve as stewards of the University’s permanent art collection, which contains artworks from 3500 B.C.E. to present day, including important holdings from many areas and cultures of the world. These artworks are more than a group of cataloged objects; they are carefully preserved, curated, interpreted and exhibited for scholarship, education and art appreciation.
“American Hi-Fi,” 1971, by Robert Cottingham,
With the permanent art collection as the core of the museum’s mission, the museum strives to be a place of rigorous interdisciplinary research, creative thinking and mindfulness, as well as an inclusive space that serves as a forum for a broad range of discussions that bring people together, uniting the wider community with students, faculty and staff. The museum promotes interdisciplinary scholarship and discussion through its robust schedule of exhibitions, public programming and class visits.
An added benefit to this name change is that the museum and its collections will become more discoverable, particularly in virtual exhibitions, programs and online searches, with the upcoming launch of the new online searchable database using Museum System’s eMuseum software. This emphasis on emerging digital platforms is an integral advancement in the museum’s strategic plan to widen its audiences and accessibility both inside and outside of the museum walls.
