For Literature and Arts B-77, "Worlds of Music: Africa," the Peabody set up a special exhibit of African instruments.

"This was an absolutely unique experience in my career for teaching musical instruments," says Professor of Music Kay K. Shelemay, who teaches the core class. "I've never had a collection for students to see...at my own institution."

DEBATE OVER MISSION

For University museums, however, outreach to undergraduates is not always a primary goal. They have to serve a number of constituencies, particularly professors and other researchers who need resources for their studies.

In the anthropology department and the Peabody, "there's a tension between research and teaching," says Associate Professor of Anthropology Robert W. Preucel.

In a faculty advisory committee report last year, the Semitic Museum was reproached for its overcommitment to exhibits for the general public. The museum did not focus enough on the needs of researchers, the report found.

James A. Armstrong, assistant curator of collections for the Semitic Museum, says that "the museum before took very seriously its responsibility to the public at large."

Now, the Semitic has fewer exhibits, and those it has are arranged primarily by staff from the Peabody. As a result, the Semitic Museum staff can attend more to the requests for material from professors and students, Armstrong says.

He said it is easier now for students to request cuneiform tablets or cylinder seals for investigation.

"There's been an increase in student utilization [for research]," Armstrong says, especially from the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations department.

Officials at some museums, notably the art museums and the Peabody, say they are emphasizing the needs of their student audience.

Cuno says that with the Friends program and other efforts, the art museums have made outreach a part of their mission.

Their first audience is the Harvard community, both faculty for teaching and research and students for classwork and extracurricular pursuit, Cuno says. After that immediate need, the art museums serve non-Harvard scholars and the public.

"I certainly feel that we're a vital part of the University," Cuno says. "While we'd always like more student involvement I don't think we feel outside the Harvard student community."

Rubie Watson, associate curator at the Peabody, says the museum is trying to appeal to a broader community than just the academics and professionals who use it now.