Firsthand exposure to original works of art is essential to our educational mission. The use of reproductions in the classroom, while necessary for teaching in Ann Arbor, is no substitute for students' direct experience of the rich range of visual material they are studying. We are thus committed to enhancing classroom instruction with an ambitious program of faculty-led excursions to museums and galleries. These benefit students enrolled in all our courses, from large introductory surveys to advanced seminars. Faculty members organize day-long excursions to major collections in the Ann Arbor area, such as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Toledo Art Museum, as well as to more specialized local institutions such as the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Henry Ford Museum. Students enrolled in advanced seminars in art history visit major national museums much further afield, in cities such as New York, Washington, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, and Los Angeles. Such trips give students the opportunity to see international exhibitions of artworks brought together from collections all over the world. special trips are also organized abroad, including week-long excursions to Mexico City, Paris, and Tokyo. We are very committed to fostering a greater understanding of foreign cultures so that students gain a global awareness of the world they live in.

If educational trips are to remain integral to our program, travel expenses need to be subsidized so that students enrolled in our courses can participate regardless of their financial situation. Such funds are not provided by the University and must come either from endowments or from designated gifts to the Department.

Your donation will make a genuine contribution to Michigan's educational richness and help students gain a fuller and deeper appreciation of art and the cultures they study.

Thank you!

To make a gift, visit https://www.giving.umich.edu.