Barbara McNulty

Dr. Barbara McNulty serves as Assistant Professor of Art History and Director of the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery at Lebanon Valley College, where she has led the Gallery since 2011 to become a premier regional venue for internationally renowned artists and art movements. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges academic scholarship with community engagement through inclusive exhibitions.

Her educational foundation includes a B.S. from Messiah College, M.A. from The Pennsylvania State University, and Ph.D. from Temple University. Key milestones include a Temple University Dissertation Completion Grant (2010) supporting her research on Cypriot donor portraiture.

McNulty's scholarship centers on Byzantine and Medieval portraiture on Cyprus, with significant contributions to visual studies, museum studies, and photography history. She has developed innovative courses including History of Photography, Museum Studies, and The Body in Medieval Culture, emphasizing how art constructs identity across historical contexts. Her research reveals nuanced connections between family representation, gender dynamics, and cultural exchange in Crusader- and Renaissance-era Cyprus.

Her extensive publication record demonstrates thematic evolution from medieval Cypriot studies toward contemporary interdisciplinary explorations. Early works focused on donor portraiture and religious art, while recent catalogs examine comics, environmental art, sacred practices, and cinematic history—reflecting her commitment to connecting historical scholarship with modern artistic expressions and community narratives.

McNulty's scholarly impact is recognized through competitive awards including:

• Lebanon Valley College Grant for Student-Faculty Research Project (2016)
• President’s Innovation Fund Grant for Mexico research (2013)
• Kress Foundation Seminar Fellowship (2012)
• Temple University Dissertation Completion Grant (2010)
• Harrisburg Area Community College Professional Development Grant (2008)

She actively mentors undergraduate researchers through gallery internships and collaborative projects, exemplified by co-curating 'Sacred: Image, Text, Ritual' with religion professor Matthew Sayers and students, and leading the 'Day of the Dead' exhibition research in Mexico. Her 2025 presentation 'Beyond the Gallery Walls: Collaborative Storytelling' with students and colleagues highlights her sustained commitment to student-faculty partnerships.

As Gallery Director, McNulty cultivates a dynamic team that develops cross-disciplinary exhibitions, partners with campus departments, and hosts community events—transforming the space into an intellectual hub where academic inquiry meets public dialogue through curated visual experiences.