Smithsonian Institution Archives

Frank A. Taylor Papers, 1835-2003

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FA18-009
Creators:
Taylor, Frank A. (Frank Augustus), 1903-2007
Dates:
1835-2003
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
5 cu. ft. (5 record storage boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
Frank A. Taylor (1903-2007) was a Curator of Engineering and Industries and an administrator at the Smithsonian. He was born in 1903 in Washington, D.C., where he grew up. Taylor began his career at the Smithsonian in 1922 as a Laboratory Apprentice in the Division of Mechanical Technology of the United States National Museum (USNM). After receiving his B.S. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1928 and his J.D. from Georgetown University in 1934, he became a Curator in the Division of Engineering at USNM and advanced to Head Curator of the Department of Engineering and Industries in 1948. During the 1950s, Taylor chaired the Exhibits Modernization Committee of the USNM. In 1955 he was appointed Assistant Director, USNM, with special responsibility for planning the new Museum of History and Technology (MHT), later the National Museum of History and Technology (NMHT) and now the National Museum of American History (NMAH), and in 1958 was appointed the first Director of the new museum. In 1962 Taylor became Director of the USNM with responsibility for both the National Museum of Natural History and National Museum of History and Technology, and in 1968 was appointed Director General of Museums. Taylor retired from the Smithsonian on January 23, 1971.
Active in the international museum community, especially through the American Association of Museums and the International Council of Museums, Taylor worked on national legislation to support museums, notably the National Museum Act. After his retirement, Taylor continued to work at the Smithsonian as a Research Associate of the Smithsonian Institution Archives and as Consultant to the Secretary until 1983.
Among his other accomplishments were that during the depression, he was assistant director of the Historical American Merchant Marine Survey, Works Progress Administration Federal Project #6, which was administered through the Smithsonian. Then during World War II, Taylor served as a Battery Commander in the 734th AAA Gun Battalion and as an Enemy Property Custodian Officer in the Southern Philippines until being honorably discharged as a Major in the Artillery Reserve.
These personal papers contain materials that document the personal life of Frank A. Taylor and his family. The son of Augustus C. Taylor and Josephine Kubel, Taylor was born in Washington, D.C. and graduated from McKinley High School. He also spent time working in his father's drug store, Taylor's Pharmacy. The collection contains genealogical research and information on members of the Taylor and Kubel families, including Taylor's grandfather, Edward Kubel, who was a professionally trained instrument maker who immigrated to Washington from Bayreuth, Germany in 1849. There are also materials related to Taylor's service in the military, both while in Europe and the Philippines.
In addition there are materials documenting Taylor's work while at the Smithsonian Institution including the building of the National Museum of American History, exhibition development, and projects on which he consulted for the Smithsonian.
Materials include correspondence, memoranda, yearbooks, grant proposals, contracts, posters, invitations, passports, immigration papers, scrapbooks, notes, articles, speeches, audiocassettes, images, floor plans, maps, newsletters, guides, clippings, brochures, and ephemera. Some materials are in German.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives
Oversize
This collection contains oversize material.

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 18-009, Frank A. Taylor Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Taylor, Frank A. (Frank Augustus), 1903-2007 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Taylor, Augustus C. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kubel, Josephine Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kubel, Edward Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
McKinley Manual Training School (Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Georgetown University Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum of History and Technology (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Division of Mechanical Technology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Division of Engineering Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Department of Engineering and Industries Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Office of the Director Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Director General of Museums Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American Association of Museums Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
International Council of Museums Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum Act Program Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Director Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Assistant Director Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Consultant to the Secretary (Frank A. Taylor) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Works Progress Administration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Taylor's Pharmacy Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution -- Administration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Archives Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum exhibits Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum directors Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums -- Administration Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Emigration and immigration Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum buildings Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Genealogy Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Washington (D.C.) -- Social life and customs Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Washington (D.C.) -- History Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Philippines Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Europe Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bayreuth (Germany) Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States -- History Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Picture postcards Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Serials (publications) Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brochures Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Maps Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Floor plans Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Illustrations Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ephemera Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white negatives Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Color negatives Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Color photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiotapes Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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