Arts and Culture: Museums and Collections

For any student of Art History, this is the place to be. Whether you are interested in Early Modern and Medieval art like myself or if, like my adopted international friends, you are a fan of contemporary art, there is no better place than Leiden to immerse yourself in the art and culture of your chosen subject. I lived less than a block from Rembrandt's birthplace and wandered the same streets as Jan Steen with the benefit of Amsterdam's contemporary art scene only a train ride away.

I envision myself one day teaching at a university or holding a senior management position in a museum… Perhaps one day I will do both! I am now transitioning from being a Museum Educator to being a Development Associate, and I will learn the ins-and-outs of fundraising and grant writing. I am certain that the critical thinking, organisational and communication skills cultivated during this programme were essential to my success. The practical and social challenges of living abroad also equipped me with necessary skills in diplomacy and adaptability, key strengths for anyone entering the workplace."

This programme proved to me that applied art and design was the right direction for me. I did a research internship at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, where I had my first opportunity to put my research experience into practice. Another big advantage of this internship was the chance to meet a lot of good contacts: one of these was Uniquole, a project consultancy that organises exhibitions on Dutch applied art and design.

While completing my master's thesis, I joined the company as art historian and project assistant. I recently started to work at the Stedelijk Museum as research assistant, where I carry out research on different objects in the collection. Both these positions give me every opportunity to apply my research skills. The good work ethic that I acquired during my study, as well as the ability to handle deadlines, are skills that are important assets in my work today.

The Design and Decorate Art Studies programme was a good introduction to the different subjects that form part of my specialist field. I would recommend this master's to everyone who is interested in applied art and design. There is an immense amount of knowledge available within Leiden University. The excellent training that I received during my study from true specialists taught me a lot about the objects that I am now seeing in my everyday work."