Nathan Arndt

With more than 18 years of experience in museums, I have developed a strong foundation in museology, collections stewardship, and academic excellence. I began my career at a small museum and art gallery in Bangor, Wales, where I learned the fundamentals of museum practice that would guide my professional journey. Those formative experiences led to a six-year position as Assistant Curator at the Haffenreffer Museum at Brown University, where I focused on exhibition development, collections stewardship, and student-centered learning.

Throughout my career, I remained committed to returning to Iowa and helping prepare the next generation of museum professionals. In 2014, I returned to the state to lead the UNI Museum and reimagine its role as a learning laboratory for students at the University of Northern Iowa and the Cedar Falls community. Over the past 12 years, I have transformed the museum into one of Iowa’s most hands-on museum training facilities, providing students with meaningful experience in collections management, exhibitions, research, preservation, and public engagement. Seeing former students advance into museum and cultural heritage careers across the United States remains one of my proudest accomplishments and a testament to the museum’s educational mission.