Art History Students Catalog $17M Lipschultz Photo Collection at Vanderbilt

Trio of undergrads gain hands-on museum curation experience processing the donated archive.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 6:39am

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Art history majors Taliyah Bradberry, Claire Lee and Justin Schwab have been granted a rare opportunity to catalog and index the Lipschultz Collection, a $17 million donation of over 5,000 photographs spanning World War II photojournalism and the Civil Rights Movement, at the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art. The students are gaining invaluable hands-on experience in museum curation, organization, and research that goes beyond their classroom studies.

Why it matters

This project allows the students to apply their art history knowledge in a real-world museum setting, bridging the gap between theory and practice. It also makes the significant Lipschultz Collection accessible to the Vanderbilt community and the public for the first time.

The details

Surrounded by wrapped canvases, leaning paintings, sculptures and box-stacked shelves, the trio of Taliyah Bradberry, Claire Lee and Justin Schwab are cataloging, indexing and researching the Lipschultz Collection - nearly 5,000 photographs donated to the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art in 2025. Through hands-on curation work like organizing, pulling and indexing pieces, creating artist bibliographies, and entering the collection into the museum's online cataloging system, the students are sharpening practical skills that go beyond what's typically covered in the classroom.

  • The Lipschultz Collection, valued at approximately $17 million, was donated to the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art in 2025.
  • Taliyah Bradberry, Claire Lee and Justin Schwab began processing the collection in early 2026.

The players

Taliyah Bradberry

An art history major in the Class of 2027 at Vanderbilt University who is one of the first students working on the Lipschultz Collection.

Claire Lee

An art history major in the Class of 2028 at Vanderbilt University who is one of the first students working on the Lipschultz Collection.

Justin Schwab

An art history major in the Class of 2028 at Vanderbilt University who is one of the first students working on the Lipschultz Collection.

Vanderbilt University Museum of Art

The art museum at Vanderbilt University that received the $17 million Lipschultz Collection donation in 2025.

Jennifer and Marc Lipschultz

The donors who gifted the $17 million photography collection to the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“I am a total nerd for museums and art, so knowing I have been one of the first students to engage with the collection is honestly the coolest thing ever.”

— Taliyah Bradberry

“Unlike a class, which is often limited to more general material-such as artworks spanning 200 years-curation focuses on putting isolated artworks into a specific context or theme. My internship has taught me practical skills, like deep research and organization, that may not be necessary for a classroom setting.”

— Claire Lee

“In most courses, you don't get to see the evolution of a large project. Learning how to structure a large project and ensuring that nothing relies on one person's knowledge has been challenging, but eye-opening.”

— Justin Schwab

What’s next

The trio of students will continue cataloging and indexing the Lipschultz Collection throughout 2026, with plans to make the full archive available to the Vanderbilt community and the public by early 2027.

The takeaway

This hands-on museum curation experience has provided art history students at Vanderbilt with invaluable real-world skills and a deeper understanding of the museum process, bridging the gap between classroom learning and professional practice.