The permanent collection of the Davis Museum will be returned to view in two successive phases, opening in Fall 2007 and Fall 2008. The new presentation, which is organized thematically to draw upon the strengths of the collection in innovative ways, represents a sea change in the way the museum engages its visitors. Displaying the collection to its best advantage, it emphasizes direct engagement with the works themselves, as well as the significance of works of art for teaching across disciplines, and life-long learning. The first phase of this project, organized by Dabney Hailey, Linda Wyatt Gruber '66 Curator of Painting, Sculpture and Photography, incorporates more than 85 artworks in two themes revolving around definitions of American Art and an exploration of Narrative, or Stories in Art. When Phase II opens in fall 2008, some 400 paintings, sculptures, and decorative objects will be returned to view.

In conjunction with the reinstallation, the museum will present three new podcasts for the American and Narrative galleries. Podcast tours encourage active interaction with the works of art, showcase a variety of voices and responses, and probe topics that are not highlighted in the gallery texts, such as how an object relates to an academic course, what experts think of the work, how an artist speaks about his/her own work, or what other visitors think about the object.

This reinstallation project is made possible by funds from Office of the President of the College, Office of the Dean of the College, Davis Museum Program Endowment, and Wellesley College Friends of Art.