The Art Collection

In 1892, concerned about the absence of the arts on Northwestern University's campus, a group of women led by Emma Winner Rogers (the wife of Northwestern's president) and Cornelia Lunt (the daughter of one of Northwestern's founders) came together to found the University Guild. It provided a resource to students and the Evanston community through its permanent collection, its exhibitions, and its promotion of arts programming. Like many Chicago institutions, the University Guild built up its collection through visits to the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Today the Guild boasts a preeminent collection of more than 500 decorative and fine art pieces from around the world.

The University Guild has remained dedicated to the arts since its founding. The gallery below represents selections from our 2024-2025 exhibition in the Guild Lounge at Northwestern University’s Scott Hall is a testament to that dedication.

Madeline Crispell, Guild Curator

Social Media

Facebook and Instagram feature monthly posts about items in the collection, with curious backstories and unexpected details.

Visit YouTube for videos, including full lectures and podcast style interviews as well as "One Question" shorts that conversationally address the Guild experience.

Gallery

The photos in this gallery represent items from the 2024-2025 exhibition in Scott Hall. Their origins and stories are thoughtfully explored on Facebook and Instagram, and in our beautiful printed catalogue, available for purchase at all Guild events.