Beyond its classrooms, Queens College holds many surprises: a farm, a DMV — and even its very own museum.
If one enters Klapper Hall through the side with the inhabitable orbs, they will find themselves at the Godwin Ternbach Museum.
The nonprofit institution began as a teaching museum for art students and has expanded to the general public. The museum has collected over seven thousand objects from various cultures and serves as an institution that stands for cultural diversity.
Maria Cristina Pio and Louise Weinberg are the museum’s co-directors. Pio, director of education and administration, told The Knight News, “The mission of the museum is to organize cultural exhibitions and programs of contemporary and historical significance for the diverse audiences of Queens and the metropolitan region—students, faculty and public alike. The education programs in conjunction with the exhibitions and collection serve as a catalyst for exploration, creativity and active conversation of the art on view.”
Weinberg, director of exhibitions and collections, added, “We want students to come in or walk through the lobby and something catches their eye. We know everybody’s busy; we know everybody’s looking at their phones, but it is our job to incite wonder and it’s our job to tell stories about the objects and make them relevant.”
The Godwin Ternbach Museum will reopen on Oct. 17th with a new exhibition called “Exploring the Language of Form” that will focus on presenting three-dimensional objects and sculptures.
In the museum’s Lobby Gallery, another new exhibition, “Wunderkammer II: Animalia,” is opening concurrently, highlighting a multi-cultural, global selection of works demonstrating the primal relationships of humans and the animal world.
While the museum is temporarily closed for in-person visits, it continues to offer opportunities to engage with its contents, including its website, which allows users to explore virtual and past exhibitions. The Godwin Ternbach Museum also continues to host virtual talk sessions, which you can join on their YouTube channel, as well as workshops, such as art and nature walks. GT catalogs guide and assist viewers in interacting with art pieces, even from home. All of these resources are free and accessible to the public.
The museum works with schools from K-12 to plan class trips or virtual visits, where they encourage students to learn about and reflect on the objects.
The museum also provides programs and internship opportunities, which vary by semester. Working with the museum provides the opportunity to develop public speaking and educational experience, as well as a chance to explore new career paths. The museum offers a small stipend as determined by funding, or internships can be taken for course credit.
Though museums can be intimidating, Pio and Weinberg aim to create a welcoming environment that speaks to all students. Pio stated, “You meet the visitor at different points and I think that’s really what museums are meant to do. They’re not meant to shut the doors for only those that may know specifics about certain works of arts, they are really meant to welcome everyone.”
Keep up to date with the Godwin Ternbach Museum by following their instagram @gtmuseum or checking their website at gtmuseum.org. If you have any questions, you can visit their website and contact them either through email or phone number.
