The article analyzes the role of humanities in forming the worldview of modern person in the system of higher education. It emphasizes the idea that a graduate of the higher education institute, and especially the university, should not only be an expert (a professional), but above all, a person of culture. Humanities as the basis of university education are considered in the article in a historical context and in the context of creation of educational institution in conditions of humanistic worldview formation. The authors refer to the historical experience of European and Russian universities, show the major periods of formation of the capital and the provincial Arts in the university educational space. The article emphasizes close relationship of the organization of the university humanities departments in the process of archaeological research and the development of museums and gallery movement. The article characterizes the contribution of Russian scientists in the formation of art disciplines teaching in educational institutions of Russia--A. G. Gabrichevsky, A. A. Fedorov-Davydov, E.N. Atsarkina, V. N. Lazarev, A. N. Savinova, N. V. Alpatov, Y. M. Lotman and others. The authors consider the concepts of "contextual thinking", "one-dimensional person" and "multi-dimensional person". The article presents domestic experience of art criticism development as a science in the system of higher education.