Carole Paul

Carole Paul is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Museum Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), affiliated with the Department of Art History within the College of Letters and Science. Her research focuses on 17th- and 18th-century Italian art and architecture, the history of museum collections, and the cultural dynamics of the Grand Tour era. Paul holds a B.A. from Barnard College and M.A./Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.

Her work explores the intersection of exhibition strategies, social performance, and art appreciation in early modern Europe. Notable projects include studies on the Villa Borghese museum's redecoration and the Capitoline Museum's foundational role in shaping public cultural spaces. She has been awarded fellowships from prestigious institutions like the Kress Foundation and the Getty Research Institute.

Paul’s publications analyze how museums transformed public engagement with art during the Enlightenment. Current projects include a forthcoming book on the Capitoline Museum’s historical significance. Her academic contributions bridge art history with museum studies, emphasizing the evolution of cultural institutions.