While Aug. 25 marked the start of the 2025-26 school year for the University of Mississippi, it also marked the beginning of Karleen Gardner’s first full semester as the director of the University of Mississippi Museum.
Gardner was named the director of the UM Museum and Historic Houses after the retirement of former director Robert Saarino. Gardner pursued both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in art history at UM, making this a full circle moment for her.
“I came back because I got my start at this museum, and I went to school here,” Gardner said. “And I feel like there was just a great opportunity to come back and bring all the experience that I’ve gotten from different places and bring it to this museum. It’s a special place because it’s a teaching museum, and our primary audience is students.”
Gardner believes that museums play a significant role in shaping our understanding of art and its relationship to history. Museums, for Gardner, are stewards of community, which is why she is dedicated to getting to know the people that she serves.
With her new leadership comes a robust career. Gardner worked nearby at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art for 11 years, where she gained a lot of hands-on knowledge that shaped her as an educator. Her immersion into the pedagogical and education practices, as well as facilitation techniques, marked her tenure there.
Gardner has also worked at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, where she served on the leadership team during her 10-year stay, and most recently at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
When asked if there were any ideas that she implemented at her previous endeavors that she wanted to bring here, Gardner emphasized creating a welcoming environment for visitors.
“I did a lot with community engagement and access, and that’s a real passion for me, making the museum free, but what can we do to make people feel more welcome and comfortable and confident in coming into a museum?” Gardner said. “Whether that’s how we write our labels or how we interact with people in the museum.”
Gardner is enthusiastic about the job the museum will do for the Oxford community, noting that it takes building relationships to get others involved with what the museum has to offer.
“We can’t just sit in our ivory towers and expect people to come,” Gardner said. “We need to make an effort and meet people where they are. See where they work, what they do with their leisure time and just get out and become a part of the community.”
As someone who is adamant about remaining curious, Gardner sees this new role as an important learning opportunity.
“Besides my work here as a student, it’s the first time I’ve worked at a university museum, so I’m really trying to meet faculty, staff and students and really listen to them,” Gardner said. “I don’t have all the answers, so I want to hear from people who are our audiences and partners.”
Gardner, more than anything, yearns to blend her love of art, expression and history with the abundant collections of the UM Museum.
“Museums are these kinds of magical places where we can learn about ourselves,” Gardner said. “I think museums put a real focus on empathy, because especially with art, it’s an expression of what it is to be human. Looking and engaging with art helps us look at different perspectives and that can make us be better people and have a great understanding of others and the world around us.”
