Art History and Museum Curating (Taught)

5th in the UK for History of Art, Architecture and Design (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)

10th in the UK for History of Art (The Guardian University Guide 2025)

97% of our research overall in Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory was assessed to be world leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)

About the course
Gain the skills to join the exciting world of museums, galleries and the cultural heritage sector. You’ll work with academics who have relationships with museums across the UK, and direct experience of curating exhibitions and permanent collections in the museums and galleries sector.

You’ll gain invaluable experience working in close contact with museum staff – and in a team of curating students – to address a live issue for a specific museum. Between February and the end of June, you’ll get the opportunity to work on some of the pressing issues facing the sector today. In previous years, museums have included projects relating to:

• disability and access

• Black Lives Matter

• queer heritage and erotic art

• narratives engaging with the repatriation of museum objects.

The participating museums are:

• Charleston

• Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft

• the British Museum

• the Towner Eastbourne.

In class, you’ll explore the history, theory and politics of art institutions and build a critical framework for the practice of curating. And you’ll also visit museums in Sussex and London. This allows you to learn first-hand about institutional histories, collections, permanent galleries and temporary exhibitions.

About Sussex
Our courses, research, culture and campus aim to stimulate, excite and challenge. From scientific discovery to global policy, from student welfare to career development, Sussex innovates and takes a lead. And today, in every part of society and across the world, you'll find someone from Sussex making an original and valuable contribution.

Location
Study on our beautiful, green campus on the edge of the South Downs National Park and just minutes from the vibrant seaside city of Brighton & Hove. We’re near to Gatwick airport and just over an hour from London.