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Analyzing art goes far beyond looking at a work from behind a museum barrier; it requires an understanding of science and preservation techniques to determine how an object should be studied and displayed.

This spring, students from diverse academic backgrounds interested in the symbiotic relationship between art and science visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There, they got a behind-the-scenes look at conservation work, learned more about the chemistry behind different artwork and artifacts, and met with experts from across the museum's departments. 

“The goal was for students to leave with an understanding of how many hands, minds, and tools go into the analysis, research, and display of an object in a museum,” said Hilary Becker, an associate professor of Middle Eastern and Ancient Mediterranean studies. “Students met with conservation scientists, conservators, and a curator, and they were able to see all of the steps that happen before an object comes to be exhibited in a museum.”

Materials Matter, an interdisciplinary course that uses scientific analysis to better understand phenomena in art, inspired many students to attend the trip. Becker and Pamela Smart, associate professor of art history and associate dean for faculty affairs and programmatic initiatives, have taught the course multiple times over the past nine years. 

Jeff Pietras, an associate professor of Earth Sciences who brought several Earth Sciences graduate students on the trip, has been a regular guest lecturer in the class. He teaches students about scientific techniques such as  X-ray fluorescence, which detects elemental fingerprints in works of art. 

Students are introduced to lab work such as analyzing pigments at the molecular level, examining 91���� Art Museum (BUAM) collections under ultraviolet light, and visiting the Innovative Technologies Complex on campus to learn about other scientific instrumentation.

For Zachary Powell '26, who just graduated with a bachelor's in chemistry and a minor in art history, the trip was a “dream come true” that affirmed his career goals.

Powell became interested in pursuing conservation work after a professor suggested the career, and he interned at the BUAM, where he learned more about how museums operate. He even traveled to Pompeii with Becker last summer to work in archaeometry. As a teaching assistant, he discussed how Becker’s Materials Matter course is a great introduction to the interdisciplinary work needed in the field.  

At the Met, he spoke with Carolyn Riccardelli, a conservator in the Department of Objects Conservation. 

“Keeping every object from falling apart is no small task, but often one of the most hidden ones in a museum,” Powell said. “It was important both in seeing all the tools and instruments, and more so, the people who work to conserve the various parts of the collection. The most valuable part for me was meeting an expert whose work I had been following. Getting to talk to her about her experience in the field was really inspiring and assured me that I am on the right path.”

Meeting Riccardelli was also an enlightening experience for Lily Tierney, a sophomore majoring in art history — particularly hearing the conservator talk about her work on the restoration of Tullio Lombardo’s “Adam” from the Italian Renaissance. 

As someone looking to become a curator, Tierney found it motivating and validating to see her career path in action. This included having a conversation with a curator working in the Greek and Roman Art department.

“It was extremely exciting to be able to ask for advice from such an accomplished professional,” Tierney said. “Sitting in a recreation of an ancient Roman house and hearing directly from a woman who had a role in the space's curation was a deeply inspiring experience.”

Taylor Remsburg, a first-year student majoring in chemistry, is interested in how art and science interconnect. At first, she thought she would have to choose between the two fields, before she discovered museum laboratories. Remsburg described the trip as “one of the best things she has ever been a part of,” because she was able to see firsthand the necessity of scientists to museum work.

Going to the Met and meeting with successful individuals working at a renowned museum provided not only a behind-the-scenes glimpse of art conservation in action, but a demonstration of how important collaborations across art and science are to understanding history. 

“Many of the people we talked to were not just historians; they had most of their background in science,” Remsburg said. “Seeing and talking to these people allowed me to learn how they got where they are and get insight on how to follow in their footsteps. It reinforced the idea that science and art history don't have to be separate.”