WIU - Museum Studies

06/12/2026

Friday — Museums are Essential

Why does a graduate Museum Studies program matter? Because museums matter.

We've maintained a high job placement rate and sent graduates into museums across the region and beyond. Every professional we train is an investment in the institutions that keep our culture and history alive. Small investment, big community impact. 💪

06/11/2026

Thursday — Museums are Community

We literally couldn't do what we do without our community. 🤝

As the only graduate Museum Studies program in the Iowa-Illinois bi-state region, WIU is built on partnerships with the Family Museum, Figge Art Museum, Bix Museum, Putnam Museum, German American Heritage Center, and the Iowa Museum Association - in addition to all the museums on the QC Illinois side!

Today we're tagging the partners who make it all possible, because great work grows when we share it.

Family Museum Figge Art Museum Bix Beiderbecke Museum & Archives
Putnam Museum German American Heritage Center & Museum Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House Quad City Botanical Center

06/11/2026

Whether you’re just starting out or ready for your next leadership role, find your next opportunity on AAM’s JobHQ. Current openings include:

Director of Buildings and Facilities at South Street Seaport Museum

$75,000.00 - $80,000.00

Full-Time

Assistant, Associate or Curator of Art after 1950 at the Farnsworth Art Museum

$55,000.00 - $65,000.00

Full-Time

Marketing and Membership Manager at The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium

$50,000.00 - $55,000.00

Full-Time

Start your search on JobHQ: https://aam-us-jobs.careerwebsite.com/jobs/

06/11/2026

It's ! Explore open positions in the Midwest and beyond: https://bit.ly/ammjobs

06/11/2026

06/11/2026

Museums Are Trusted

Museums are trusted stewards of our shared history, and that work is strengthened when professionals learn from and support one another.

Join us next Monday, June 15, for IMA Plugged-In: Connecting, Progressing, and Supporting Preservation in Iowa. Learn how the Iowa Conservation and Preservation Consortium (ICPC) advances preservation practices, supports collections care, and helps museums across Iowa protect the stories and objects entrusted to them.

Sponsored by Western Illinois University Museum Studies Graduate Program

👉 Join the Plugged-In mailing list once to receive Zoom details: iowamuseums.org/pluggedin

06/11/2026

06/10/2026

Wednesday — Museums are Trusted

Museums are among the most trusted institutions in America, and that trust is earned by people who take stewardship seriously.

At WIU Museum Studies, we teach the next generation to care for collections, tell honest stories, and uphold the ethics the field depends on. Real objects. Real places. Real stories. No shortcuts.

06/10/2026

Having a great time at the conference and enjoying catching up with my former UIowa colleague and WIU Museum Studies alum Liz Crooks.

Also happy to attend with Katie Smith one of our WIU museum studies graduate students who earned a scholarship to the conference. Thanks for supporting our students!

Looking forward to day 2!

06/09/2026

Dr. Lung is excited to celebrate by attending conference in Iowa City! Let’s get this museum party started!