Schingoethe Center’s Main Gallery Named for Meg Bero

The main gallery at the Schingoethe Center was renamed The Meg Bero Gallery in honor of the longtime director, who retired last year. A former elementary art school teacher, Bero joined AU in 1996 as a museum educator and rose to executive director and chief curator. During her tenure, she elevated the collection of North American art with exhibits that demonstrated great respect for the Native American community.

In 2017, the Smithsonian Institution granted the Schingoethe Center Affiliate status — one of only a handful of Smithsonian Affiliates in Illinois — making possible new opportunities for collaborative exhibits, artifact loans, research, and educational programs. The museum was founded on campus in 1990 with the donation of the Native American art and artifact collection by Herb and Martha Schingoethe and moved to its current location in the newly constructed Hill Welcome Center in 2015.