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Archives of American Art
Oral history interview with Thomas M. Messer
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.messer70
- Creators:
-
Messer, Thomas M.Cummings, Paul
- Dates:
-
1970 Sept. 22
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
35 PagesTranscript
- Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
An interview of Thomas M. Messer conducted 1970 Sept. 22, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art. Messer speaks of his childhood in Czechoslovakia; his early interest in art and music; coming to the United States; his education at Boston University; directing a museum, in Roswell, N.M., for three years; going to the American Federation of Arts and becoming director there; moving on to the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston; the development of his interest in Latin American art and culture; becoming the director of the Guggenheim Museum; his philosophy on museum acquisitions; the current art market; what makes exhibitions successful or unsuccessful; and the future of museums.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Thomas M. Messer (1919- ) is a museum director from New York, N.Y.
Administration
Existence and Location of Copies
Transcript: 35mm microfilm reel 3417 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Digital Content
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Transcript: Patrons must use microfilm copy.
More Information
General
General
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 9 min.
Keywords
Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
---|---|---|---|
Art museum directors -- United States -- Interviews | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Sound recordings | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Interviews | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Art museums -- United States | Function | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
American Federation of Arts | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston, Mass.) | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Roswell Museum | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions