Student Guides and DMSAC members learning from Artist Christiane Baumgartner about her exhibition and artwork to develop public tours. Photo credit Ping Ji.
Campus Engagement
The Davis's encyclopedic collections form an extraordinary resource at the core of Wellesley College’s rich liberal arts education. The Davis is committed to sustaining teaching and learning at Wellesley across academic disciplines by providing access to its holdings and dynamic temporary exhibitions. We collaborate with faculty, advising on incorporating gallery-based teaching into the curricula and helping to craft object-based assignments that utilize the Davis Museum’s great diversity of art objects. We also offer special opportunities for Wellesley College students, including paid and volunteer positions.
Summer Interns
For the past fifteen years, the Davis Museum Summer Internship Program has provided invaluable hands-on experience, perspective, and knowledge to Wellesley students who are passionate about art and culture. The Davis Interns saw the inner workings of museums near and far, and contributed to the Davis in lasting ways. The Davis Summer Internship Program is generously sponsored by Cecily Horton '80 and Betty Rauch '65.
Summer Interns: This summer's cohort, comprised by Grace Owen ‘19 (Intern Coordinator), Eunbie Coe ‘20 (Collections Management), Sumurye Awani ‘18 (DeLorme), Gwen Zwirko ‘19 (Curatorial), Veronica Mora ‘18 (Curatorial), Breslin Bell '18 (Curatorial) , Sydney Milke ‘20 (Curatorial Administration), Christine Burns ‘20 (Education), Anna Soong ‘20 (Digital Marketing/ Administration), and Artemisia Luk ‘21 (Digital Marketing/Administration) on one of their many field trips.
The Wellesley Widows perform at DMSAC's Davis after Dark. This fall's theme was Fall for the Davis and included dance, music, and comedy performances by student groups, along with arts and crafts.
DMSAC
The Davis Museum Student Advisory Committee (DMSAC) is a voluntary organization of students who serve as enthusiastic liaisons between the student body and the Davis, acting as ambassadors for and raising awareness of the Davis and the visual arts across the Wellesley College campus, by encouraging the Museum’s interdisciplinary function, engaging the diverse and multicultural student body, promoting the Davis as an educational resource, and increasing student participation, museum visitation, and inclusivity.
Student Guides
Student Guides are Wellesley College students who are committed to sharing the Davis’s rich permanent collections and special exhibitions through tours with local K-12 students, adults, and the general public. The Davis Student Guide program is generously supported by the Elizabeth Bein Keto '48 Endowed Memorial Art Fund.
Student Guide and Summer Intern Eunbie Coe ‘20 engaging a local elementary school group in the Davis Galleries.
SVA Steffany Poveda-Solorio ’19 asked visitors to place hearts near their favorite works of art in the galleries during the Davis's inaugural #HeartsforArt celebration.
Student Visitor Assistants
The Davis Student Visitor Assistants are Wellesley College students who are a vital, active, and visual presence in the Davis Museum. The SVAs strengthen the museum by ensuring that visitors feel welcome by providing audience engagement through greeting, assisting and promoting the Davis exhibitions, programs, and facilities. They interact with visitors on various levels; including visitor services, life safety and monitoring access to the museum and the collection. The SVA program is sponsored by Carol Grossman '66.
Linda Wyatt Gruber '66 Curatorial Fellowship in Photography
Carrie Cushman, Linda Wyatt Gruber '66 Curatorial Fellowship in Photography presenting recent acquisitions to faculty and FOA Patrons at the Fall Acquisitions Open House.
Carrie Cushman joined the Davis Museum staff in September as the Linda Wyatt Gruber '66 Curatorial Fellowship in Photography, with a Ph.D. in art history from Columbia University and a specialization in the history of photography in Japan. Her dissertation is titled "Temporary Ruins: Miyamoto Ryuji's Architectural Photography in Postmodern Japan." Over the three year term of her appointment, Carrie will undertake teaching and curating from the Davis Museum's permanent holdings in photography, collaborate with faculty across disciplines, and curate special exhibitions. Her tenure will culminate with an exhibition designed to showcase the major recent gift from the collection of Peter J. Cohen.
Community Engagement
The Davis is a welcoming resource for the community. Each event is designed to encourage visitors to adopt the Davis as their museum. Our events include a host of public programs, from symposia, lectures, gallery talks, and performances, to family-friendly events, such as our biannual Family Day, Summer Film Series, and Stroller Tours. Ensuring that the Davis is accessible to all audiences, we offer multisensory activity kits, as well as tours for visitors with Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Summer interns leading an art activity based on the theme of musicals during the Summer Film Series.
Visitors enjoying a screening of a musical during the summer film series, which included The Wizard of Oz (1939), The Muppets (2011), Mary Poppins (1964), and Beauty and the Beast (2017).
Summer Film Series
Families took advantage of the warm summer nights and joined us for our 3rd annual summer film series featuring musicals on Davis Plaza. Art activities and tours of the galleries were included in the festivities. The Outdoor Summer Film Series was generously supported by Big Gay Ice Cream.
Free Fun Friday
Families were invited to explore the Davis, participate in hands-on art making for all ages, self guided gallery activities, a treasure hunt, storytelling, multi sensory art kits, and Student Guide led spotlight talks throughout the day. Free Fun Friday was generously sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation.
Summer intern and Student Education Assistant Christine Burns ‘20 devised multi-sensory kits that were incorporated at family events.
Student Guide Sarah Stover '20 leading a Stroller Tour of Christiane Baumgartner: Another Country discussing printmaking and the art of illusion.
Stroller Tours
Art lovers and their little ones joined us for art-filled mornings strolling the galleries during free guided tours—a special opportunity for families open before normal hours.
Family Day
The Davis welcomed visitors of all ages to participate in thematic programming and activities inspired by our special exhibitions, including photography and printmaking. Families explored hands-on art making activities, joined us for a treasure hunt in the galleries, story time, tours, gallery activities, and participated in cyanotype demos with Wellesley College students. Family Day is generously supported by The Palley Endowment Fund for Davis Museum Outreach Programs.
Families explored scratch art, fruit and veggie printmaking, transfers, and scratch foam prints during the October 13 Family Day event, Playing with Printmaking.
Student Guides participated in training on Alzheimer’s and dementia this spring with Dee Brenner, former program coordinator of ARTZ Massachusetts (I’m Still Here Foundation).
Making Memories
Specially trained Davis staff and Student Guides led guided explorations of our permanent collections, creating opportunities for visitors to enjoy conversation, works of art, and new experiences at the Davis through Making Memories: Accessible Art Program for Adults Living with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias.
