The primary mission of the Princeton University Art Museum is to effectively support and enhance the University’s goals of teaching, research, and service. The museum does this through the study, preservation, conservation, exhibition, and development of its collections. Through direct and sustained access to original works of art, and by collaborating with faculty, students, and staff from the Department of Art and Archaeology and many other disciplines, the museum contributes to the development of critical thinking and visual literacy at Princeton.

As one of the richest cultural resources in the state of New Jersey, the museum also has a clear commitment to serve the local community, the region, and beyond. The museum encourages the public to benefit from its collections and exhibitions and to provide support for its principal activities through specific programs and outreach initiatives. Scholarly exhibitions, publications, symposia, and an active loan program extend the museum’s reach to a national and international audience, assuring its continuing vitality and its active participation in the University’s primary commitment to advance and impart knowledge.