NEWCOMB ART MUSEUM

Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane

The Newcomb Art Museum (NAM) of Tulane University builds on Newcomb College’s legacy of education and artistic expertise. The academic institution for which the museum is named was founded in 1886 as the first degree-granting coordinate college for women in America. The H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College was distinguished for educating students in the sciences, physical education and most importantly, art education. Out of its famed arts program, the Newcomb Pottery was born. In operation from 1895 until 1940, the Newcomb enterprise produced metalwork, fiber arts and the now internationally renowned Newcomb pottery.

NAM develops initiatives that use critical frameworks across disciplines in conceptualizing and interpreting art and design. Presenting inspiring exhibitions and programs that engage communities both on and off campus, the museum fosters the creative exchange of ideas, civic dialogue, and cross-disciplinary collaborations around craft, fine art, and material culture. The museum also supports university coursework and research that advances an understanding of visual art, crafts, and the significance of the Gulf South.

Why are donations necessary?

Donations support arts initiatives that preserve the legacy of the Newcomb College artistic enterprise, as well as the training of the next generation of professionals in keeping with scholarship about fine art and crafts. The funding also helps NAM to better convey the distinctiveness of the museum's institutional history as well as the arts ecosystem of New Orleans and the Gulf South.

This year we are actively seeking support for the 2027 exhibition Lynda Benglis: Elemental. Benglis earned a BFA degree in ceramics and painting from Newcomb College in 1964. A pioneering installation artist and sculptor, she became known for her “fallen paintings” created from poured latex rubber and polyurethane foam. The exhibition, which will be curated by Laura Blereau, NAM Curator of Exhibitions, will include rarely seen artwork and ephemera that illustrate the significance of Benglis's time at Newcomb College. It will also draw attention to how her formative years in Lake Charles and New Orleans influenced the organic imagery in her work and shaped her awareness of sensory perception.

In February of 2025, NAM received confirmation that the Whitney Museum of American Art will lend Benglis’s 1969 work "Contraband" for the show. Named for Bayou Contraband near her childhood home, this genre-defying work is her largest extant DayGlo latex pour and will be seen in Louisiana for the first time. Additional resources will ensure that the museum can realize a remarkable exhibition that demonstrates the significance of the university and our region to one of the world’s most important contemporary artists.

Adopt-A-Pot Initiative

Newcomb Pottery is a cornerstone of the Newcomb the Newcomb Art Museum’s permanent collection, exemplifying the distinctive artistic vision and craftsmanship developed at Newcomb College. These works often serve as an entry point for visitors, orienting them to our decorative arts, which span from circa 500 BCE to the present. Through Adopt-A-Pot, you are invited to support the care and treatment of both historic and contemporary ceramics. Your financial contribution directly sustains the preservation of these works and ensures the stewardship of the collection for future generations. Read more about Adopt-A-Pot on our website: newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu/adopt-a-pot.

#GiveGreenTU and support the Newcomb Art Museum today!