Curating Exhibitions as Undergraduate Research

Abstract

Librarians and museum curators are knowledge experts who can collaborate with faculty and serve as exemplary mentors to undergraduate researchers. This article discusses three exhibitions curated by undergraduates that resulted from classroom-based activities. The students engaged in original research to mount the exhibitions--an atypical form of dissemination for undergraduate research projects. One exhibition was housed in the campus art museum; another physical exhibition focused on manuscripts and early printed books from a library's special collections. A third digital exhibition is permanently hosted on the library's website. Each curating activity and exhibition is described, including the process and collaboration with colleagues in the library and art museum.