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Welcome to Museum Studies

Chadron State College is the only college or university in the State of Nebraska to offer Museum Studies and the only institution in the region to offer museum studies as Undergraduate coursework.

“The preservation function is at the core of what museums do; indeed, the mandate to protect the fragile objects in our care and to preserve them for future generations is a moral obligation. ...museums are merely the stewards of these precious objects, even as we influence the future’s understanding of the past through our collecting and exhibiting activities. We are reminded that our knowledge of the past will be forever imperfect, but we can move toward a more perfect knowledge by our best efforts to protect and preserve the artifacts of the past - and their role in shaping our human values.”
- James Christen Steward
Director of the University of Michigan Museum of Art
Professor of Art History and Museum Studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
(Excerpted from museumVIEWS Autumn 2003)

The mission of the Museum Studies program is to provide an introduction to the various aspects and a fundamental understanding of the museum profession. Through the study of museums, their practices, history, and philosophies, students are provided with a strong foundation for beginning their museum career exploration.

This course of study is designed to give the student a broad overview of the various aspects and issues that one may face in the workplace. Though classroom study, practical application, and individualized attention, the Museum Studies program is designed to allow students to personalize their course of study to their career objectives.