Modeled on a laboratory, the gallery presents exhibitions and related programming that reflect the diversity of interests and approaches to the arts at Columbia and embody the university's high standards for research and instruction. Exhibitions are drawn from public and private collections as well as from university collections.

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery aims to contribute to Columbia University's long-standing tradition of historical, critical, and creative engagement in the visual arts.

Operating under the auspices of the Department of Art History and Archaeology, the gallery was established in 1986 through the generosity of Miriam and Ira D. Wallach. Since that time, many exhibitions covering a broad range of art-historical periods and styles have been initiated by the gallery, with graduate students, faculty, and other scholars serving as curators.

Works are drawn from public and private collections as well as from university collections.

The gallery plays an integral role within the art history program at Columbia University, serving as a resource in which teaching and research can be explored within the context of exhibitions. Not only does the gallery provide students and faculty with opportunities for crucial contact with original works of art, but it also offers a forum for inquiry into issues and methods informing curatorial practice. In addition, students interested in museum or gallery careers can gain valuable experience in a professionally staffed facility through internships and fellowships.