Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Archives Center Poster Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0751
Creators:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Dates:
1917-1998, undated
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
120 Posters
14 map-folders
Repository:
An artificial collection of posters on various subjects, at present organized according to donor and/or subject. Examples of contents include motion picture posters and propaganda posters.

Scope and Contents note

Scope and Contents note
An artificial collection of posters on various subjects from various sources, including curatorial units, the public, and SI staff. Series one consists of miscellaneous posters, typically acquired one or two at a time. The remaining series contain posters acquired from individual sources, usually all relating to one topic. Detailed cataloging information for many of these posters can be found following this finding aid. This collection is augmented periodically by new acquisitions.
Scope and Contents note
The movie posters, all except two from the 1990s, represent a wide range of popular films, including both adult and children's films, live action and animated, and studio and independently made films.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collections divided into four series.
Series 1: Miscellaneous Posters, 1917-1990
Series 2: World War One Posters, 1917-1919
Series 3: Motion Pictures Posters, 1963-2016
Series 4: Soviet Propaganda Posters, 1959-1960

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Motion pictures have been exhibited in the United States since debuting at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. The public=s love affair with Athe movies@ has never waned. Beginning with silent films with simple plots the motion picture industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry where the small simple film costs millions of dollars and a great portion of a motion picture budget is designated for advertising. Movie posters have been an integral marketing tool for the motion picture from its inception. Movie posters attempt to capture the essence of the film in one clear defining image and image that will hopefully remain in the consumers mind. Early movie posters boasted original artwork with bright colors and bold lettering. Beginning in the 1950s, movie posters began to use actual photographs from the movie itself as the primary artwork for the movie poster. In the latter 20th century almost all movie posters were photographic in nature. With the expansion of motion pictures into the home video market from the early 1980s onward, movie posters became not only a marketing tool for the movie theatre but for the video store as well.

Administration

Author
Craig Orr, updated by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., 2022
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Nelse L. Greenway, July 6, 2001, and Martha Rosen, May 29, 2002.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Craig Orr, archvist, and Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., archivist, 2002.
Ownership and Custodial History
This collection is a repository for miscellaneous posters from varied sources, including curatorial units, the public, and SI staff, which may be augmented periodically by new acquisitions. Donors include David Newsome, Nelse L. Greenway, and Verna Borup.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access
Unrestricted research access on site by appointment.
Preferred Citation
Archives Center Poster Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Posters -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Film posters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Posters -- Soviet Union Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Posters -- Motion pictures -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Propaganda Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu