The Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC) is a graduate-level program jointly sponsored by the University of Delaware and Winterthur Museum. It is a three-year course leading to a Master of Science in Art Conservation. The curriculum is designed to educate and train conservation professionals to carry out the examination, analysis, stabilization and treatment of art and artifacts, speak to general principles of collection care, and have a broad academic background in science and the humanities. Our Value Statement reflects our commitment to educating professionals skilled in the analysis, treatment, and preservation of cultural artifacts by connecting disciplines in the arts, humanities, and sciences.
Faculty and students use fifteen well-equipped conservation laboratories, studios, examination rooms, and workshops in the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Research Building at Winterthur. This building houses one of the country's largest and best-equipped museum analytical laboratories. Winterthur's comprehensive collection of early American art, architecture, furniture, textiles, silver, pewter, ceramics, glass, paintings, prints, and its independent research library are world-renowned. The University of Delaware houses art studios for reconstructing historic techniques, science laboratories, a conservation laboratory, and administrative offices.
Tours of the conservation laboratories at Winterthur Museum will be offered to potential applicants on designated Monday and Friday afternoons. Dates for the 2023-2024 academic year are: December 4th, February 2nd, March 8th, and April 5th, from 1:30-2:30pm. To sign up for a tour, or if you have questions about pre-program conservation tours, please contact WUDPAC Fellows Nicole Chausse (she/hers) and Kiki Peters (she/hers) at wudpactours@gmail.com.​
Helpful documents when preparing a graduate school application include WUDPAC’s Frequently and Not So Frequently Asked Questions sheet​,​ the Quick-Start Guide: A Career in Conservation prepared by the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network of the American Institute for Conservation, and an Art Conservation: Career 101 informational handout prepared by WUDPAC Class of 2019 alumna Madison Brockman.
Please contact art-conservation@udel.edu with any inquiries, and our Academic Program Coordinator will direct your question(s) to the appropriate faculty member.​
