DBU’s International Culture Collection Opens Doors to Global Learning

Dallas Baptist University’s International Culture Collection continues to grow as a meaningful resource for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and friends of the University, offering opportunities to encounter cultures from around the world through artifacts, exhibits, research, and digital engagement.

The International Culture Collection, often referred to as the ICC, was established to preserve, interpret, and share cultural materials in support of DBU’s commitment to global learning and Christian higher education. The collection includes artifacts, textiles, instruments, household items, ritual objects, educational materials, and cultural objects representing multiple world regions and traditions.

"Creating the International Culture Collection has been an opportunity to preserve and share cultural stories from around the world through authentic artifacts and educational interpretation", shared Traci West, Assistant Professor of Information Science and curator of the International Culture Collection. "I hope visitors leave with a greater appreciation for the rich traditions, histories, and perspectives represented within its holdings and a deeper understanding of the diverse cultures that shape our world."

Through these items, students and guests are invited to explore diverse histories, customs, languages, and expressions of life from across the globe. The ICC provides hands-on opportunities for learning, cross-cultural exploration, classroom engagement, and meaningful dialogue.

A significant recent milestone for the collection has been the consolidation of materials into centralized storage areas within the Jeannette and Cletys Sadler Global Missions Center. Bringing the collection together into two primary storage spaces in Sadler has improved accessibility, organization, workflow efficiency, exhibit preparation, and long-term stewardship.

This important step strengthens the foundation for the ICC’s future growth. With materials now more easily accessible, the collection can continue moving forward in photography, cataloging, research, exhibit development, and educational programming. Plans are also underway for rotating exhibits featuring a carefully selected group of displayable items chosen for their interpretive value, condition, and exhibit feasibility.

The ICC website continues to expand as an educational and outreach resource for both the DBU Family and audiences beyond campus. Through the website, visitors can learn more about the collection, explore interpretive content connected to exhibits, and engage with cultural materials beyond the physical display space. The site supports exhibit interpretation, student engagement, instructional use, and cross-cultural learning, making the collection accessible to alumni, prospective students, community members, and others interested in DBU’s global learning initiatives.

Future plans also include QR-linked audio interpretation, with opportunities to share music, chants, language resources, and narrated cultural context connected to selected items in the collection. These tools will help visitors engage more deeply with the stories and traditions represented through the ICC.

The International Culture Collection is available for public tours and private, guided tours upon request. To explore the history of the artifacts and learn more about the mission of the archives, visit the International Culture Collection website.