Mission & Values

We welcome everyone to experience our collections, exhibitions and programs with minimal barriers and maximum access. We strive to create and sustain a welcoming environment and seek to further a sense of belonging that extends beyond campus to our public communities.

We are committed to the pursuit of excellence in building and caring for our collections, advancing scholarship, supporting teaching and learning at USJ, and presenting exhibitions and programs that reflect facets of our communities, including the “critical concerns” of the Sisters of Mercy, founders of USJ.

We encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration and honor a variety of voices and viewpoints. We respect and value our colleagues’ and communities’ knowledge, whether it derives from scholarship or lived experience. We aspire to engage the full spectrum of our university and public communities and solicit contributions and commentary from a broad range of sources.

We encourage dialogue and engagement with our collections, exhibitions, and programs, promoting learning and the free exchange of ideas. We believe that art has the potential to inspire curiosity and creativity, foster health and well-being, promote critical thinking, and contribute to personal and spiritual growth. We encourage a culture of life-long learning and critical examination of ideas present and past.

We adhere to the standards and best practices of the museum profession and endeavor to operate with transparency and mindfulness in order to maintain public trust and confidence. We model professional and ethical behavior in training our student workers, interns, and volunteers.

We work to provide visitor experiences that open eyes, foster empathy, and stimulate active engagement with important issues in society. We recognize the responsibility of Museum staff to engage in ongoing learning and self-examination to keep the Museum flexible, open to new ideas, and responsive to developments in the museum profession and society.