Visiting & Collection Research
Learn About the Collection
Only a small portion of the museum’s permanent collection is on view at any time, so a variety of tools are available to help you explore the works of art in the Nasher’s collection, whether currently on view or in storage.
View the Nasher Museum collection.
Information about art in a range of media, styles, periods, and cultures can be found at our website promoting visual literacy How Do You Look?
Class Visit Requests
The Nasher Museum is open by appointment to Duke faculty, classes and students again, starting February 8, 2021.
We invite Duke faculty to reserve a time for their students to engage with the Nasher collection and exhibitions through in person self-guided tours and/or facilitated Zoom sessions with Nasher staff.
To make a reservation please fill out the class visit request form below. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how the Nasher can support your teaching, whether in person, hybrid or online only, please email Ellen C. Raimond, Ph.D., Assistant Curator of Academic Initiatives, at ellen.raimond@duke.edu.
To keep the Duke community safe, all visitors entering the Nasher building agree to abide by The Duke Compact standards.
Thursday Drop-In Hours for Duke Community
The Nasher Museum also welcomes Duke students, faculty and staff to enjoy self-guided visits for viewing exhibitions and art on view. No appointment needed.
Drop-in visits will be every Thursday, Noon to 3 PM, February 25 through April 29, 2021 (unless circumstances change). Find out more information about available drop-in dates and times as well as requirements on the Duke Community page.
Class Visit Request Form
To make a reservation please fill out this form. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how the Nasher can support your teaching, whether in person, hybrid or online only, please email Ellen C. Raimond, Ph.D., Assistant Curator of Academic Initiatives, at ellen.raimond@duke.edu.
Temporary Viewing of Specific Works
Duke faculty may request that the museum make specific works of art temporarily available to students to support course themes or objectives. Works of art would be on view within the Great Hall or Lecture Hall for facilitated, safe viewing. For example, students might approach works of art one by one, for close viewing. To arrange for a special viewing please email Ellen C. Raimond, Ph.D., Assistant Curator of Academic Initiatives, at ellen.raimond@duke.edu. These opportunities are limited.
Keep in Mind
The museum is closed on evenings and weekends. Our classrooms and Study Storage rooms will not be available to classes, faculty or students this fall semester.
Make the Most of your Visit
- Enter the museum through the Anderson Street entrance
- Bring your Duke ID for scanning
- Follow all United Duke guidelines and be mindful of the Duke Compact everyone signed
- Make note of floor decals that serve as safe distance reminders
- Nasher staff might remind visitors to safely distance from others
- All visitors must end their visit 25 minutes before open hours are over
Study Storage
The Nasher Museum’s Study Storage offers faculty and students up-close experience with works of art not currently on view in the exhibition pavilions. Facilities include works on paper with more than 3,000 prints and drawings; painting storage with works from the Renaissance to the present; and object storage with Greek and Roman pottery and glass, Ancient American ceramics and African and European Medieval and Renaissance sculpture and artifacts. Study Storage is a gift of Christine and Pierre Lamond and Alice Martin Whelihan.
A wide range of departments have visited Study Storage including
- Art, Art History and Visual Studies
- Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
- Classical Studies
- Cultural Anthropology
- Dance
- Duke Divinity School
- Engineering
- Environmental Sciences
- Foreign Languages
- History
- Kenan Institute for Ethics
- Philosophy
- Religion
- Thompson Writing Program
- Theater Studies
- Women’s Studies
How Did the Patron Saint of Earthquakes End Up in the Americas?
Saint Emygdius first became known as protector against earthquakes in Italy after a 1703 earthquake destroyed much of the country, but spared the town of Ascoli Piceno, where he was the patron saint. But how did Saint Emyg...
Published
Student Experience: Jacqueline Samy
Jacqueline Samy, who grew up in London, wanted a college experience that would let her be immersed in American culture. She chose Duke University because of its location in the South. She arrived with an interest in fashio...
Published