The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art held a study day for Auburn students from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. Throughout the day, students went in and out of the museum to study, eat and enjoy the art exhibits.
A student studies and enjoys refreshments during a study day event hosted by The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art in Auburn, Ala. on Dec. 6, 2025.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum, also known as the Jule, provided free coffee, tea, snacks and pizza in the cafe. Museum staff also gave out free coffee mugs and t-shirts to students while supplies lasted. If students wanted a break from studying, they could go to the cafe to pick up printouts with instructions and scissors to make paper snowflakes.
”We wanted to give them [the students] some brain break options,” said Alex Dudley, a museum staff member and graphic design major.
During the event, students finished any remaining coursework and studied for their final exams, which take place next week. Most students chose to study in the Jule’s cafe, while others studied at tables scattered throughout the gallery rooms. Throughout the day, students and other visitors alike wandered through the museum's gallery.
While students often study in the cafe, they typically cannot study in the galleries due to rules against backpacks and a lack of tables. Today, however, was the exception, as the Jule wanted to give students a “beautiful, quiet space” to prepare for finals, according to its website. The museum also encouraged students to explore the galleries and reflect on the exhibits’ themes of what defines American art and who belongs in it.
Two students are studying at The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art in Auburn, Ala. during the study day event they hosted on Dec. 6, 2025.
Student staff members reported higher traffic than usual and hoped the event would encourage more students to come to the Jule.
“I think it was a pretty good success,” said Shivani Alapati, a staff member and professional flight major. “I love the idea of being able to sit in a gallery and study. I think it’s a good opportunity for students to see how being surrounded by art while studying affects them.”
Alapati also hoped the event would help art and museums feel more welcoming to students who feel like such spaces are too unapproachable.
“We want it [the Jule Collins Smith Museum] to be a place that’s accessible and able to create community,” she said.
The Jule also held a public tour from 5 to 6 p.m. According to the museum's website, these free student-led tours take place most days from Tuesday to Saturday and do not require registration. Visitors can also schedule group tours of the exhibitions and the lower level, which contains the museum's study room and the rest of its collection. The Jule does not charge fees for student or community group tours.
A group of students study at the study day event hosted by The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art in Auburn, Ala. on Dec. 6, 2025.
The current themed exhibits include “Foreign in a Domestic Sense," “Being and Belonging in American Art: 1946/2026” and ”Women Artists in Ascendance,” which is currently featured on the Jule's website. The exhibits will be on display until July 2, 2026.
The Jule Museum's gallery and store are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Tuesday through Saturday. The museum’s programs and general admission are free to all attendees, including non-students.
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