New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art Appoints Art History Alum to Prestigious Internship

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has newly appointed Moira Gallagher, Art History Major and Class of 2009, as its Tiffany & Co. Foundation Curatorial Intern in American Decorative Arts for 2014-2015. Congratulations Moira! At the Met, she is contributing her research to upcoming Museum publications and exhibitions, including the mounting of a show focusing on Louis Comfort Tiffany's design drawings. Moira holds a Master’s degree in the History of Decorative Arts from the combined program of the Smithsonian Associates and George Mason University in Washington, DC (awarded 2011). Before arriving at the Met, Moira worked full-time from 2012-2014 at Sumpter Priddy III, Inc., a gallery in Alexandria, VA, specializing in fine and decorative arts of the early American South. At JMU, Moira first developed her interests in American art, interiors, and architecture in Kay Arthur's “Gothic and Gothic Revival” class; John Ott's “Monticello”; the “Material Culture” course, taught by History faculty member Gabrielle Lanier; and “Historic Preservation” taught by History faculty member Darryl Nash. Moira interned for several semesters in the University’s Madison Art Collection working with Kate Stevens, where she gained experience with exhibitions and collection management. Her internship at James Madison's Montpelier, which she arranged through JMU, encouraged Moira to further pursue American decorative arts. After graduation from JMU in 2009, Moira worked as a full-time Research Assistant at Montpelier, collaborating with the curatorial staff in their research to determine and interpret the interior appearance of President Madison's mansion during his retirement years (1817-1836), the culmination of which can be viewed in the mansion today.