The Museum serves as a principal cultural resource for the general public and the academic communities of the Five College area (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst). All public events, including gallery talks and lectures, are free and open to the public. For information about specific events, see the Exhibition Calendar pages on this web site.

The Museum and its collection provide rich source material for many Mount Holyoke courses in art and art history, as well as in other disciplines. In addition, there are many non-academic opportunities at the Museum through which Mount Holyoke students can learn about museum professions and community service. The Museum also offers several paid workstudy positions each year.