Smithsonian Institution Archives

Records, circa 1970-1979, 1982-1994

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FA97-078
Creators:
National Portrait Gallery (Smithsonian Institution). Office of the Director
Dates:
circa 1970-1979, 1982-1994
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
3 cu. ft. (3 record storage boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
This accession consists of the administrative and exhibit files of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), Office of the Director. Most of the records date from 1982 to 1994, and document the tenure of Alan Fern, who became Director in 1982. The administrative files primarily concern the development of reports on NPG activities for central Smithsonian Institution publications such as Smithsonian Year.
The exhibit records document the Director's involvement in many aspects of exhibit development at NPG. The records include loan requests from the NPG Director and responses of lending individuals and organizations; agreements with lenders; exhibit scripts; catalog manuscripts; and press clippings. The files also contain correspondence and memoranda between Smithsonian and Museum staff, guest curators, museum professionals, interested scholars, and the public regarding exhibit planning and content, exhibit funding issues, and events associated with the exhibit.
In addition, there are files on the exhibit Then and Now: American Portraits of the Past Century in the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibit was originally developed at the behest of the United States Information Agency for mounting in China in September 1987, but was cancelled at a late date. Work on the exhibit was completed, however, and it was shown in Hong Kong and Japan in 1987 and 1988.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 97-078, National Portrait Gallery (Smithsonian Institution), Office of the Director, Records

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Fern, Alan Maxwell, 1930- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Then and Now: American Portraits from the Past Century (Exhibition) (1987: Sapporo, Japan) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museum directors Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums -- Administration Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum exhibits Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Traveling exhibitions Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Portraits, American Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum publications Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brochures Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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