Best College Reviews recently ranked the UM Museum No. 12 in a national list of best college art museums in the country.
Art director Robert Saarnio said the ranking was a thrilling honor for his staff.
“Word is getting out that this museum has strong collections,” Saarnio said. “We have support from the University, who understand what the arts and culture mean to this university,” Saarnio said. “We are in a real fortunate confluence of positive factors.”
Saarnio said the museum maintains temporary exhibitions as well as permanent artworks and artifacts owned by the University. The museum rotates temporary exhibits on a monthly basis to keep its displays lively.
The current temporary exhibition is a collection of fine art quilts spanning the 40-year career of artist Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry, according to the UM Museum website.
The museum’s permanent exhibitions include scientific instruments from the 19th century, Greek and Roman artifacts from 1500 B.C. to 200 A.D. and works by visual artists such as Mississippi painter Theora Hamblett.
The University Museum is ranked 12th in the nation out of college museums. (Photo by: Ariel Cobbert)
Saarnio said the UM Museum is known for its collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, the largest of its kind in the South.
“We have programs and lectures and artist talks,” Saarnio said. “We have lots of programs for the children and youth, we have to do that to function or else people will be like ‘been there, done that.’”
“I want students to know about this museum, it is so meaningful for students to come,” Saarnio said. “We have evening receptions with food and beverage, and we are also free with free parking.”
Saarnio has had over 20 years of museum experience and has worked in New England, Michigan, Hawaii and Oxford.
Programming assistant and UM junior Kelly Loggins said the museum does a good job of involving students behind the scenes in addition to exposing them to its events and exhibits.
“I’ve really enjoyed working at the museum and getting to see how everything functions,” Loggins said. “Everything from harvest supper in the fall to yoga in the gallery on Monday mornings is for the benefit of the University and its students.”
The UM Museum was the only one in the SEC ranked in the top in the top 15 on the list.
“You can really tell how excited the staff are,” Loggins said. “It’s cool to hear the guests and members mentioning the ranking to people like [Saarnio], and his face lights up.”
– Chelsea Scott
