Art History and Museum Studies Program
Program Overview
Many people are familiar with world-renowned artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Rembrandt van Rijn, Salvador Dali, and Michelangelo, but few are aware of how their artwork can provide insights into history. The study of art history has had a profound impact on humans throughout history. It has allowed us to understand and appreciate the diverse cultures and societies that have existed throughout time. By studying the arts and artifacts of the past, we are able to gain insight into the beliefs, values, and social structures of ancient civilizations.
This program explores the intertwined histories of colonization, the development of the western museum, nationalism, and geopolitics, using contemporary debates about decolonizing museums and repatriating and restituting problematic objects as a vehicle. One of the most pressing issue on the arts scene across the world today is the status of hundreds of thousands of artifacts stolen or otherwise illegally obtained from indigenous peoples across the world during the period of European colonization.

The continued presence of these objects in museums in the United States and Europe despite requests for their return by their original owners signals a continuation of the founding imperialist mindset of the museum as an institution. Through the use of scholarly texts, film, websites, and social media, students will explore more on this topic.
Eureka Alumni from this program have received admission offers to Princeton University, Harvard University, Yale University, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), University of Chicago, John Hopkins University (JHU), and other top US universities. Alumni from this program have gone off to pursue majors in Philosophy, History, Law, Economics, and Design.
The research experience and skills students receive at the Eureka Program have helped students get accepted to prestigious programs such as the Stanford Summer Humanities Institute and the Yale Young Global Scholars. Students from this program have also had their works published in The Concord Review, which only accepts about 5% of essays received. Students from this program are also very engaged in their communities, sharing in volunteering activities and starting non-profit organizations to help the community.
After learning about the refugee crisis in various parts of Europe, one student from Luxembourg organized a charity to send hygiene products, cooking kits, books, and other supplies. In addition, two siblings that attended this program run a non-profit organization to help young children learn about culture.
The below sections will provide more insight into the students that have attended this program and share their experiences and successes.
Research Topic Samples
College Admission Results
Attended Eureka
2019
High School Name
Kent School
Admission Offer Received
• Harvard University
• Princeton University
• Stanford University
Eureka Research Title
The Problem With 'Accurate' History: Complexity Within Sallust's Bellum Catilinae
Attended Eureka
2019 Summer
High School Name
Webb Schools Of California
Admission Offer Received
• Princeton University
• Stanford University
• Brown University
• Columbia University
Eureka Research Title
Research Topic - Undisclosed
Attended Eureka
2020
High School Name
Indian Springs School
Admission Offer Received
• (ED) Amherst College
Eureka Research Title
De Coniuratione Catilinae
Attended Eureka
2019
High School Name
Stuart Country Day School
Admission Offer Received
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Eureka Research Title
Sign Language Documentation: Why And How
Attended Eureka
2020
High School Name
St. Paul's School
Admission Offer Received
• (REA) Yale University
Eureka Research Title
Investigating The Impact Of Museums On Indigenous Health And Wellbeing
Attended Eureka
2019
High School Name
Boston University Academy
Admission Offer Received
• Stanford University
• Brown University
Eureka Research Title
Misleading Arguments: Contradictions In Socrates' Apology And Phaedo
Attended Eureka
2020
High School Name
The Experimental High School Attached To Beijing Normal University
Admission Offer Received
• Pomona College
Eureka Research Title
Research Topic - Undisclosed
Attended Eureka
2019
High School Name
Hill School
Admission Offer Received
• Stanford University
Eureka Research Title
A Multidimensional Analysis Of The Character Of Catline As Described By Sallust
Attended Eureka
2020
High School Name
St. Stephen's Episcopal School
Admission Offer Received
• (REA) Stanford University
• Washington University in St. Louis
Eureka Research Title
The Parallelisms And Differences Between The Government-Subject Relationship
Attended Eureka
2021 Summer
High School Name
Deerfield Academy
Admission Offer Received
• (ED) Swarthmore College
Eureka Research Title
Dies Irae - Why Apocalyptic Fiction Is So Popular In The Modern Day
Student Experiences
Eureka Student Research: The Effect of Purchase Intentions and Mere Exposure on the Valuation of Art
Eureka Student Research: The Possible 50ft Columns of the Pantheon Lost in Transit
Eureka Student Research: Digging deeper into texts: The Mesh of Form and Content
Community Activities

A Eureka Student's blog about her research experience attracted many readers who shared their own experiences in the comments section of her blog. She transformed the blog into a forum named Vitamuse, which offered innovative forms of museum presentations, including video, audio, virtual stories, and hand-painted brochures for self-designed urban archaeological walking routes. The forum collaborated with 17 schools to organize museum photography competitions, tours, and activities, and established partnerships with museums to offer members perks like discounted admission, chats with curators, and access to storage rooms. The community grew to over 2,500 museum lovers in just over a year, comprising all ages and professions, from kindergarten children to 80-year-old nannies, IT workers, and foreigners residing in Shanghai.
Source:
A Eureka alumni was awarded an internship at the Public Education Department of the prestigious Shanghai Museum of Art. During her time there, she was entrusted with the responsibility of managing the museum's official social media accounts, an essential aspect of modern-day marketing and promotion. Over the course of her internship, she composed 13 engaging articles that captivated the museum's audience and garnered over 13,000 views. Her contributions helped raise the profile of the museum and highlighted its collections to a broader audience, contributing to the overall mission of the museum and increasing awareness of Chinese art and culture. The opportunity to intern at such an esteemed institution provided the alumni with a valuable experience that will benefit her career and personal growth.