The Archives of American Art ensures that the nation’s stories of art and creativity are available for future generations. The Archives holds more than 30 million letters, diaries, sketches and preparatory works, scrapbooks, manuscripts, financial records, photographs, films, and audiovisual recordings of artists, dealers, collectors, critics, scholars, museums, galleries, associations, and other art world individuals and institutions who shaped the visual arts of the United States. The Archives also houses the largest collection of oral histories anywhere on the subject of the visual arts. We seek to represent the breadth and depth of the American experience.
Founded on the belief that the public needs free and open access to the historical record, the collections are available to all who wish to consult materials in person or online. Users are welcome to explore and to discover their own connections to the makers and making of American art and culture.
Building on this foundation, our goal for the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future is to advance the Archives of American Art as an essential and accessible resource that serves audiences worldwide. We seek to amplify the voices and stories contained within our collection; to harness new technologies to make our collections more discoverable and approachable; to develop engaging programs that spark curiosity and foster lifelong learning; and to connect our unique materials to educators and a broad range of communities to help tell a fuller story of America’s past and to help envision a bright and creative future.
Endowment support for key positions and programs will ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization.