Museum Studies

ABOUT US

Museum Studies Faculty

Heidi

Heidi Lung, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Director, Museum Studies

Heidi Lung (she/her) earned academic degrees in art history (bachelor of arts), history (master of arts), museums studies (Graduate Certificate), and education (doctorate). From 2015 to 2022, when she joined WIU, Lung served as Program Director and Associate Professor for the University of Iowa Museum Studies program. She has over 25 years of experience in museum education, community outreach, and leadership for museums and organizations, including the Saint Louis Art Museum, Challenger Center for Space Science Education, the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis, and the Iowa Museum Association.

You can learn more on LinkedIn and read Dr. Lung's CV.

Angela McClanahan-Simmons, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Museum Studies Angela

Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Mclanahan-Simmons’ (she/her)educational background is in archaeology and anthropology. Before her appointment at WIU, she held academic positions at the University of Glasgow from 2003-2008, the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds from 2007-2008, and from 2008-2021, she lectured in visual and material culture at Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. In addition to her academic posts, she has worked in collections management and grant writing at small history and archaeology museums.

You can learn more on Angela McClanahan-Simmons CV

Mission

The Museum Studies Graduate Program in the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Western Illinois University is dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of professionals to lead successful careers in museums and cultural institutions.

Values

Through all efforts, the Museum Studies Graduate Program aligns with and supports Western Illinois University's core values of excellence, educational opportunity, personal growth, and social responsibility.

In addition, the Museum Studies Graduate Program serves to:

  • Raise awareness of museums as essential educational, cultural, and scientific institutions.
  • Foster quality, excellence, and accessibility in academic teaching and professional training.
  • Model and prioritize honesty, integrity, and ethical conduct.
  • Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom and industry.
  • Promote integrative thinking and transdisciplinary connections to adjacent academic and professional fields of study.
  • Encourage and facilitate in-depth, hands-on, applied learning experiences such as internships, practicums, community-engaged projects, and professional networking opportunities.
  • Support professional growth through continued mentoring during and beyond graduation.
  • Celebrate and assist in the work of our community partners, program alumni, and professional networks as we move the field forward.

Ethics Statement

The Museum Studies Graduate Program at Western Illinois University strives to provide an educational and professional environment free from harassment or persecution. Faculty in the program are committed to an environment that values the diversity of contributions from all, wherein every individual is treated with respect. Members of the program recognize that academic freedom allows everyone to express opinions without fear of reprisal from others. Members of the department’s faculty, staff, and student body are expected to speak honestly with tolerance and respect for varying opinions and to constantly bear in mind the responsibility to professionally represent our program, the university, and the museum field in everything we do.

Land Acknowledgement

The WIU Museum Studies Graduate Program recognizes the ground on which we stand so that all who come to our campus know our commitment to giving a voice to our student population, especially those under-represented or oppressed. Western Illinois University was founded in 1899 and existed on the lands of the Peoria, Sauk, Meskwaki, Potawatomi, Miami, and Sioux nations. We acknowledge our immense debt to all original peoples who have cared for and inhabited these lands and their descendants.