The Museum Studies Minor gives you both the intellectual foundation and hands-on experience needed to understand and work in museums and related institutions. Drawing on multiple disciplines, the program explores how museums collect, preserve, interpret, and present objects and ideas to the public. You will learn to think critically about the role of museums in shaping cultural memory and public understanding while developing practical skills in exhibition planning, curation, interpretation, and collections management through courses and projects that combine theory and practice.

You will also gain valuable real-world experience by collaborating on exhibit design, engaging with digital and public history tools, and working directly with local museums, archives, and heritage organizations. These experiences prepare you for a wide range of careers in educational and cultural settings—including museums, galleries, archives, historic sites, national parks, and nature centers—or for graduate study in museum studies, public history, art history, and related fields.

If you want to turn this interdisciplinary studies minor into a major, consider Truman’s interdisciplinary studies major.