Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service Search this
Extent:
10.43 cu. ft. (20 document boxes) (1 12x17 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Books
Brochures
Exhibition catalogs
Date:
circa 1910-1986
Descriptive Entry:
This collection consists primarily of brochures, booklets, and books cataloging single exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art, the National Collection of Fine Arts,
the National Museum of American Art, and the Renwick Gallery. Also included are a few catalogs from exhibitions of SITES. There are catalogs from exhibitions staged by the
Smithsonian alone, those staged in conjunction with one or more other art museums, those organized by other museums but shown at the Institution, those held elsewhere but
consisting in whole or in part of Smithsonian works, and those organized as the Smithsonian contribution to exhibitions in other countries. In a few cases, the connection
between the Institution and the exhibition is not known. The catalogs range in format from the one-page flyers of the pre-World War I period to the lavish publications of
recent years. Also included are miscellaneous publications, such as early catalogs of the entire collection (the two-volume set prepared by Holmes in the 1920s); the checklists
of the opening exhibition of 1968; and The History of the National Gallery of Art, United States National Museum Bulletin 70, by Richard Rathbun. In addition there is one
journal article describing an exhibition of the work of Albert Pinkham Ryder and the text of a dedication ceremony held by the museum.
This record unit chiefly consists of a collection of publications assembled over the years by the library. In addition, catalogs were pulled from two other accessions which
contained many copies. However, the collection does not claim to be complete and should be used in conjunction with other records in the Smithsonian Institution Archives,
such as the records of the Office of the Director, Record Units 311 and 312, and central administrative files, Record Unit 313, and later accessions. In particular, SITES
catalogs produced since the office became independent are not included. For these, researchers should consult Record Units 290 and 316, as well as unprocessed collections.
This record unit contains exhibition catalogs, booklets, and books arranged in alphabetical order. The name of the sponsoring Smithsonian Institution, generally the National
Gallery of Art (NGA), the National Collection of Fine Arts (NCFA), the National Museum of American Art (NMAA), the Renwick Gallery (Renwick), and Smithsonian Institution Traveling
Exhibition Service (SITES), appears in parentheses. The date of the exhibition follows. For items which do not represent exhibitions, the physical format and publication information
are noted. In some cases, the connection of the publication with the Smithsonian is not known.
Historical Note:
Although the Smithsonian had paintings and sculpture in its collections since 1849, the works that remained after the fire of 1865 were dispersed. The turn of the century
brought a renewed interest in building the art collection, and in 1907, William Henry Holmes became the first Curator of the National Gallery of Art, as it was officially
designated a year earlier. In 1920 the Gallery became an administrative entity, separate from the United States National Museum, of the Institution, and Holmes was named its
first Director. The collections were displayed first in the Castle, then in the Arts and Industries Building, and after its completion in 1910, the Natural History Building.
A number of bequests, most notably by Harriet Lane Johnston and William T. Evans, fostered the growth of the Gallery. In 1937, it became the National Collection of Fine Arts.
When Holmes retired in 1932, Ruel P. Tolman became Acting Director until 1946 when he was named Director. Thomas Beggs assumed the title in 1948 and served until 1964 when
David Scott became Director. In 1968 the art collections were at last given a separate building, the Old Patent Office, which was renamed the Fine Arts and Portrait Gallery
Building. In 1980 the museum became the National Museum of American Art. Joshua Taylor served as Director from 1970 until his death in 1981, when Harry Lowe became Acting
Director. Charles C. Eldredge assumed the position of Director in 1982.
The traveling exhibition service was a part of the art museum from its establishment in 1951 until it became independent in 1965. It is now known as the Smithsonian Institution
Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
In 1965 the Smithsonian asked that the Renwick Gallery, once home to the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the U. S. Court of Claims, be transferred to the Institution for use
as a gallery of "art, craft, and design." The transfer was accomplished, the building restored, and the museum opened in 1972 with Lloyd Herman as Director. Herman served
until 1986, when Michael Monroe was named Acting Director and Curator in Charge. Administratively, the Renwick is a curatorial division of NMAA.
6.58 cu. ft. (6 record storage boxes) (1 tall document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Black-and-white photographs
Exhibition catalogs
Brochures
Pamphlets
Newsletters
Date:
1916, 1922, 1929-1930, 1946-1984
Descriptive Entry:
These records document the opening of the National Collection of Fine Arts and the National Portrait Gallery in the Patent Office Building in 1968. Included are press
kits; photographs; development files; pamphlets of the opening; catalogs from the Henry Ward Ranger exhibition, 1929-1930; an annotated copy of Catalog of Collections,
volume I, 1922, by William Henry Holmes; and minutes of the Smithsonian Art Commission, 1963-1964. There is also one folder devoted to the bequest of Reverend Bruce Hughes
of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to establish the "Hughes Alcove" and fund efforts to amass "a reference library of art works" for study.
Also included are newsletters, library count sheets, policies, minutes of meetings, surveys, a variety of reports, brochures, volunteer and internship information, and
other records. Some materials date to when the museum was known as the National Gallery of Art.
Historical Note:
The Fine Arts and Portrait Gallery Library was established in 1965 as a joint operation of the National Collection of Fine Arts (NFCA) and the National Portrait Gallery
(NPG) and was originally housed in the Arts and Industries Building. In 1968, the two museums moved into the newly-renovated Old Patent Office Building, renamed the Fine Arts
and Portrait Gallery Building, where the Library continued as before. In 1980, the Library became the National Museum of American Art and Portrait Gallery Library (AA&PG)
as a result of the name change.
William B. Walker was hired as Librarian in 1965 and held that position until 1979. Katherine Ratzenberger was named Acting Librarian in 1980 followed by Acting Librarian
Susan Gurney in 1981. Cecilia H. Chin served as Librarian of AA&PG Library, 1982- .
No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
Photograph albums prepared by the Bureau of American Ethnology or the photographic lab, possibly for reference purposes by staff. The use of such albums has been mentioned by BAE photographer De Lancey W. Gill. The albums contain photographs made from the Bureau of American Ethnology's collection of negatives, documenting Apache, Arapaho, Assiniboin, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Cocopa, Dakota, Flathead, Fox, Iowa, Kalispel, Kiowa Apache, Nez Perce, Omaha, Osage, Ponca, Santa Clara, Sauk, Shoshoni, Spokane Tonkawa, Wichita, and Winnebago people. The bulk of the photographs are studio portraits, made at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha in 1898 or during delegation visits to Washington, DC. There are also other photographs made during Victor Mindeleffʹs work in Chaco Canyon, and on W J McGeeʹs expedition to Sonora, Mexico, in 1900.
Photographers include Charles Milton Bell, William Dinwiddie, Alexander Gardner, De Lancey W. Gill, John K. Hillers, William Henry Jackson, Frank Albert Rinehart, Wells Moses Sawyer, Antonio Zeno Shindler, Victor or Cosmos Mindeleff, Julian Vannerson with Samuel A. Cohner. Included are negative numbers formerly used by BAE, but the National Anthropological Archives also annotated them with current negative numbers.
Arrangement note:
Titles of the albums are (1) Omaha and Winnebago; (2) miscellaneous; (3) Sauk and Fox; (4) miscellaneous; (5) Arapaho and Cheyenne; (6) Chiricahua, San Carlos, and Apache; (7) Sauk and Fox; (8) Osage, Shoshoni and Nez Perce, Siouan, Oto; (9) Santa Clara and Flathead; (10) Ponca; (11) Sauk and (12) Wichita and Kiowa Apache; (13) Cocopa; and (14) Assiniboin and Blackfoot
Biographical/Historical note:
The Bureau of American Ethnology was founded in 1879 in part as a result of the federal geological surveys and under the administration of the Smithsonian Institution. Under the directorship of John Wesley Powell (1879-1902), the BAE supported field research by its staff and collaborators, initiated several anthropological publications, and supported the growth of the anthropological discipline, particularly as it related to Native Americans. In addition to its research and publications program, it developed a manuscript repository, library, and an illustrations section that included (in addition to the preparation of artwork for publications) photography and a photographic collection. The BAE commissioned studio portraits of visiting Indian delegates and hired De Lancey Gill served as the its official photographer and illustrator from the 1890s to 1930.
Local Call Number(s):
NAA Photo Lot 60
Location of Other Archival Materials:
The National Anthropological Archives also holds the Bureau of American Ethnology records and the BAE historical negatives, as well as Dinwiddie photographs of the W. J. McGee expeditions are held in (Photo Lot 89 and Photo Lot 144), Charles Milton Bell photographs (Photo Lot 80), and additional photographs by most photographers represented in this collection (Photo Lot 59 and Photo Lot 90-1)
See others in:
Bureau of American Ethnology photograph albums of Native Americans, 1858-1905
39.1 cu. ft. (39 record storage boxes) (0.1 non-standard size boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Brochures
Clippings
Manuscripts
Newsletters
Compact discs
Electronic records
Floppy disks
Posters
Color photographs
Black-and-white photographs
Black-and-white negatives
Black-and-white transparencies
Color negatives
Color transparencies
Videotapes
Audiotapes
Date:
1973-2014
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of records that document the history and activities of Heritage Preservation from its very beginnings as the National Conservation Advisory
Council and the National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property. Among those areas documented include board meetings, workshops, the SOS! program, conservation
awards, and annual meetings. People represented in the collection include R. M. Organ, Margiene H. Butler, Carolyn L. Rose, David Shute, and Lawrence L. Reger. Materials include
correspondence, memoranda, reports, notes, meeting minutes, meeting agendas, financial records, transcripts, proposals, images, release forms, exhibition records, questionnaires,
grant records, videotapes, audiocassettes, posters, and clippings. Some materials are in electronic format.
Historical Note:
In June 1973, a conference was held at the Winterthur Museum in Delaware. It was called primarily to attempt to quantify the known conservation training needs in the
United States as a while and to compare those needs with currently available capability for training. At the conference were directors of the then-existing training programs,
representatives of public and private agencies potentially capable of proving financial support for conservation programs, and individuals with wide-ranging concerns about
the nation's need for more and better conservation work.
Conference attendees recommended the establishment of an advisory council to provide a forum for coordinated planning and voluntary cooperation among existing and projected
conservation training programs. Initial funding for the expenses of the organization was obtained from the National Museum Act. The group held its organizational meeting in
November 1973 at the Arts and Industries Building in Washington, D.C. to develop further its structure and purpose and to adopt by-laws. The organization was named the National
Conservation Advisory Council (NCAC), and its purpose was stated to be the provision of a national forum for planning and cooperation among institutions and programs concerned
with the conservation of cultural property in museums, historic properties, libraries, archives and other types of collections in the United States.
Its first efforts included assessing national Conservation needs in training, research and publications; seeking ways to meet these needs; and studying the advisability
of creating a national institute for conservation, including such laboratory facilities, training programs and other activities on a national basis as might be found to be
appropriate.
The executive committee of the NCAC included: Chairman, Edward R. Gilbert, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum; Vice Chairman, Charles Van Ravenswaay, Winterthur Museum;
Executive Secretary, Gretchen Gayle, Smithsonian Institution; and members, Norbert S. Baer, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, Robert L. Feller, National Gallery
of Art Research Project, Mellon Institute, Sheldon Keck, Cooperstown Graduate Programs.
After these initial efforts, NCAC evolved to become a nonprofit, independent, public policy organization dedicated to preserving the cultural, historic, and scientific
heritage of the United States. The organization has identified threats to collections and has responded with practical and pioneering solutions. Its special initiatives, reports,
and programs have made decision makers, conservation professionals, and the general public aware of the immediate attention required to reduce the risks of losing America's
cultural heritage.
NCAC later became known as the National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property (NIC), and then ultimately became Heritage Preservation in 1997.
Its members included museums, libraries, archives, conservation centers, and national associations and its mission was to preserve the nation's heritage for future generations
through innovative leadership, education, and programs.
Heritage Preservation helped museums, libraries, and individuals with the best preservation advice from professional conservators through their publications. The Conservation
Assessment Program (CAP) helped small and mid-sized museums get the advice of professional conservators for their collections and historic buildings. Its Heritage Health Index
survey was the first attempt to paint a national picture of the state of collections across a broad spectrum of institutions - museums, libraries, archives, historical societies,
and scientific organizations.
Their Save Outdoor Sculpture! (SOS!) program served as a resource for identifying, documenting, and conserving outdoor sculpture nationwide.
SOS! advocated for the proper care of outdoor sculpture and provided the public with the tools necessary to garner local action, increase appreciation for sculpture, and
improve the care of sculpture in both the short and long term. It encouraged a multifaceted approach to preservation: conservation treatment, public awareness, education,
and long-term maintenance. It was a partnership between the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and Heritage Preservation.
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Exhibition Site - Arts and Industries Building - Map
Container:
Box 11
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
