The Smithsonian-Corcoran MA Program History of Decorative Arts is a partnership between the Smithsonian Associates and the Corcoran College of Art + Design. The unique aspect of this program is its commitment to object-based teaching in a professional environment, made possible by its situation within The Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC. The intention of this program is not to move away from the close study of the art works, but to integrate that formal analysis with substantive critical thought and historical research. We seek out faculty who are sympathetic to this pedagogic approach and students who embrace this intellectual challenge. The mission of this graduate program is to realize the history of decorative arts as a field of serious and significant scholarship.