About

Mission

As a teaching museum on a liberal arts college campus, the Berman Museum of Art fosters a greater understanding of the visual arts in the learning process and society at large. The Berman supports the educational mission of Ursinus College across all disciplines, presenting innovative exhibitions and programs that cultivate curiosity and encourage exploration, critical thinking, and civic engagement. Admission is always free and open to the public.

Our growing collection is an important resource for teaching and outreach to diverse college and community audiences. Ensuring the integrity, preservation, and interpretation of these artworks and artifacts is an ongoing responsibility sustained in public trust.

History

In 1986, Ursinus College and Philip (1915-1997) and Muriel (1914-2004) Berman established a partnership to further promote the study of visual arts at Ursinus College, and discussions of establishing a fine arts museum for the college’s growing art collection began. The proposed museum would serve the undergraduate liberal arts program and communities in the surrounding region, enhancing the position of the college in the broader cultural community of Philadelphia and beyond. The Bermans believed, “Art should be seen; sculpture should be in public places and art should be in the arena of learning such as colleges and universities.” Formally established in 1987 with founding Director Lisa Tremper, The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art opened to the public in October 1989.

Affiliations

The Berman Museum of Art is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and an institutional member of the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG).

UC land acknowledgement statement

Ursinus College respectfully acknowledges that our campus rests on Lenapehoking, the ancestral and spiritual homelands of the following five nations: Delaware Tribe of Indians, Delaware Nation, Eelūnaapèewii Lahkèewiit (Delaware Nation at Moraviantown), Stockbridge-Munsee Community, and Munsee-Delaware Nation (Ontario).

Our community carries names derived from the Lenape language - names holding spiritual and cultural meaning while also bearing the remembrance of the systematic removal of the Lenape people over 250 years ago by European colonial powers, whose legacy still reinforces and benefits from the Lenape’s disenfranchisement.

Ursinus College commits to collaboration, representation, and inclusion as we work together with the Lenape people to bring about healing and reconciliation between and among all our communities.