Bard Graduate Center is devoted to the study of decorative arts, design history, and material culture through research, advanced degrees, exhibitions, publications, and events.

Bard Graduate Center advances the study of decorative arts, design history, and material culture through its object-centered approach to teaching, research, exhibitions, publications, and events.

At BGC, we study the human past and present through their material expressions. We focus on objects and other material forms—from those valued for their aesthetic elements to the ordinary things used in everyday life.

Our accomplished interdisciplinary faculty inspires and prepares students in our MA and PhD programs for successful careers in academia, museums, and the private sector. We bring equal intellectual rigor to our acclaimed exhibitions, award-winning catalogues and scholarly publications, and innovative public programs, and we view all of these integrated elements as vital to our curriculum.

BGC’s campus comprises a state-of-the-art academic programs building at 38 West 86th Street, a gallery at 18 West 86th Street, and a residence hall at 410 West 58th Street. A new collection study center will open at 8 West 86th Street in 2026.

Founded by Dr. Susan Weber in 1993, Bard Graduate Center has become the preeminent institute for academic research and exhibition of decorative arts, design history, and material culture. BGC is an accredited unit of Bard College and a member of the Association of Research Institutes in Art History (ARIAH).

Laura Grey is a graphic designer and art director living in the New York area. She has a BA and an MALS from Dartmouth College, and an MFA in graphic design from Yale University. Her work has been recognized by the American Association of Museums and the AIGA (the professional association for design). She has been a guest critic at Yale University, Boston University, and Bard College, and has been a visiting faculty member at Wesleyan University (2013–14). From 2013 to 2018, she was assistant professor of graphic design at Boston University. She is a member of the Society of Printers and AIGA and served on the board of AIGA Boston for four years (2014–18). Currently, she works with selected clients from her Westchester-based design studio and is the consulting art director for Bard Graduate Center, New York City.