Education
Education
Since the establishment of our education programs in the 1980s, the Ackland has been a leader in developing educational initiatives and has consistently offered high quality, engaging opportunities to learn with works of art. In 1993, with a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ackland expanded the ways in which we serve UNC-Chapel Hill and colleges and universities in the surrounding area. Ongoing support from the Provost's office and from generous donors permitted our work with university audiences to continue.
Classes in diverse disciplines meet in the Museum, discussing the ways in which works of art connect with course issues. Students visit individually to complete class assignments. Faculty and students collaborate with Ackland staff to curate exhibitions and they present and perform their work in public programs at the Museum. In 2008, the Mellon Foundation once again offered support for the Ackland's Academic Programs, allowing us to expand our ability to serve the University community even more dramatically. Click here to find out more about Mellon support for Academic Programs at the Ackland. And read more about our services and resources designed especially for faculty members and students.
In keeping with the University's commitment to serve the people of North Carolina, we also provide educational resources and services for K-12 teachers and students, and for community members and organizations. We consult with teachers and with leaders of community organizations to design experiences tailored to the needs and interests of a particular group.
Click here to read more about the Ackland's Five Faiths Project, a groundbreaking educational initiative begun in the 1990s. In response to requests for help from middle- and high-school teachers, the Ackland developed a set of curricular resources that used our multicultural collection to help teachers meet a state requirement to teach about world religions. Based on that research, the Ackland collaborated further with local faith communities and national faith leaders, with scholars of religion and with museum professionals to foster a dialogue about the limits and the potentials of using works of art to learn about world religions.