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).

Mindy Papp and Susan Weber at the 2012 Iris Foundation Awards.

We remember with affection and gratitude our friend and supporter, Melinda Florian Papp, who passed away earlier this year. Mindy was co-director of Florian Papp, one of the oldest antiques galleries in the US. Its focus was English and European furniture and fine art from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. She published catalogues on English Aesthetic furniture, antique boxes, and watercolor drawings of architecture, gardens, and interiors.

From her early involvement on various benefit committees and sponsorship of the annual Iris Awards, to her steadfast advocacy for the BGC scholarship fund, Mindy exemplified unwavering commitment to and passion for our mission. Her eventual role as a member and then co-chair of BGC’s board of trustees further underscores her profound impact on our institution.

Mindy will be deeply missed. We extend our sympathies to her family and many friends.