Study abroad experiences have long held a valued place in university curriculum worldwide. These educational exchanges provide future architects and artists the opportunity to expand curiosity, worldviews, sensitivity, and knowledge of other cultural environments. Programs seeking to educate architects and artists in a manner respecting, upholding, and preserving unique urban identities and cultural heritage benefit from pedagogically developed cross-cultural exchanges. Immersed in new environments, students’ awareness, appreciation, and understanding are heightened when combined with an intentional and structured program. This experience increases students’ comprehension of the integral role arts and architecture play in another culture—often awakening a greater understanding of their own through the process. This paper and presentation will share the outcomes and developmental insights of a longitudinal (5 year) case study of a curricular innovation for educating architects and designers. While Rome has provided a rich framework for this case study, with its strong identity and rich cultural heritage anchored to its architecture and arts, these understandings translate to a wealth of environments. The richness of uncovered history and cultural opportunities in Rome—where many of the museums are as impressive as the artifacts they house—ideally introduce the significant roles cultural institutions and exhibition design can play as drivers for cultural exchange, tourism, and the conservation of cities’ heritage and identities. Through the conception and development of a culturally sustainable project for an Italian institution, students worked with local curators and scholars. This pedagogical approach allows foreign young artists and architects to experience first-hand the value of the narratives they develop. This learning stratagem demonstrates artists and architects’ power to educate, entertain, and invite local and international audiences to join in a community of understanding—celebrating the unique attributes of a culture, distinguishing it from others, allowing opportunities for expression, and ensuring preservation.