The University Galleries at Florida Atlantic University present a variety of contemporary art exhibitions. Related programming includes visiting artists, artist and scholar lectures and a program that trains FAU students to provide arts education services to children in school and after school settings.

The University Galleries at FAU present exhibitions of contemporary visual art, other humanities disciplines and related programs designed to stimulate interpretation, thought, discussion and other responses to themes in the visual arts and humanities. The University Galleries are committed to reaching and building university and public audiences by collaborating with academic departments and student organizations as well as community groups and organizations. The mission is carried out in The Schmidt Center Gallery and the Ritter Art Gallery, as well as other appropriate campus and community locations.

The University Galleries at Florida Atlantic University have operated since 1983, initially as the Ritter Art Gallery a department of Visual Arts and Art History program. In 1995 when the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters was named and expanded, a new gallery was added to the University, the Schmidt Center Gallery. At that time the University Galleries became a separate administrative unit reporting to the dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. The Galleries have always served the area and region's visual arts community through regular exhibitions of its most innovative visual artists. The University galleries have also organized many nationally significant contemporary art exhibitions and occasionally exhibitions addressing humanities subjects outside the visual arts. Guest curators and exhibition related public programs by visiting artists and scholars have been a mainstay of the University Galleries commitment to serving diverse audiences through diverse programs.