I love art, but have never been a huge fan of art museums. The pieces on display would always dazzle me with their intricate details, lifelike forms and realistic interplays of light and shadow, but I could never bring myself to develop a deeper appreciation for them beyond their eye-catching façades. It was thus with lukewarm enthusiasm that I embarked on our field trip to the North Carolina Museum of Art, certain that I would leave with interesting takeaways, but nothing particularly eye–opening or memorable.

Little did I expect to have my mind blown away by our visit, which extended well beyond its intended duration as we lost track of time in our quest for knowledge.

The first pleasant surprise came when I realized that we would be learning about the museum’s preservation efforts through an exclusive tour of the conservation laboratory. Tucked snugly in the depths of the museum, the laboratory boasted an impressive collection of paintings, sculptures, statues and all manner of artwork you can possibly conceive of.

But the scientist in me was immediately drawn to the fancy equipment and exotic tools that filled every nook and cranny of the room. I listened with rapt fascination as the experts explained how different spectroscopic methods involving X-rays, gamma rays and infrared rays were employed in the analysis of the layers of artwork hidden beneath the surface. (Interestingly, some abandoned preliminary sketches that were uncovered included an additional head in a family portrait and the outline of an upside-down body in a painting of a female musician!) I was intrigued by the plethora of chemical analytical techniques required to decipher the chemical compositions of the materials contained in ancient works. I fell in love with the methodological and systematic nature of the conservation process, perhaps because it bore a striking resemblance to the scientific process, which I was all too familiar with and an ardent believer in.

This field trip has certainly transformed the way I look at art. It has enlightened me to a dimension of art whose existence I was aware of but never really paid much attention to and imbued me with a refreshing perspective about the intersection between art and science. Although it was a pity that we weren’t given much time to explore the exhibitions after the tour, as someone who has always taken an interest in understanding how things work, I have no doubt that the tradeoff was worth it. When else will we get to see the magic that goes on behind the scenes at the museum?

The next time I visit an art museum, I will be sure to look beyond the beautiful façades for the captivating stories obscured underneath. And if the opportunity ever arises to embark on a conservation tour again, please hit me up!

Valerie Yi Jie, Huang Fellow ’25

Valerie is a rising sophomore from Singapore