Smithsonian Institution Archives

Records, 1962-1988

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU0545
Creators:
Cooper-Hewitt Museum. Administrator
Dates:
1962-1988
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
17.58 cu. ft. (17 record storage boxes) (1 tall document box)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These records were created mostly by administrators Rohlfing, Dobkin, and Dunne. They document the activities of the Museum Advisory Board and the acquisitions committee and contain files on fundraising, membership, product development, sales, education, collections management, and exhibitions. The records also include audit reports and annual reports; grant proposals; architectural plans of the Miller House; and public relations files, including news clippings from the reopening of the Museum in 1976. In addition, the records contain periodic budget projections and reports for the programs, administrative departments, and payroll of the Museum dating from 1983 to 1988, along with the memoranda and spreadsheets which document their development.

Historical Note

Historical Note
In 1963 the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art trustees announced that the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration would be closed, and Director Calvin S. Hathaway resigned. Curator of Exhibitions H. Christian Rohlfing was named Acting Administrator, and in this capacity he helped to guide the Museum's transfer to the Smithsonian Institution in 1968. In 1969 Rohlfing became Administrator of the renamed Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and in fiscal year 1972 he assumed the dual title of Administrator and Curator of Collections. John H. Dobkin became Program Management Officer in FY 1974 and was appointed Administrator in FY 1975. Dobkin and Rohlfing both held the title of Administrator until FY 1978, when Dobkin resigned and Rohlfing relinquished the post to assume purely curatorial responsibilities. The position of Administrator was vacant until FY 1979, when Daniel O'Leary became Assistant Director for Administration and Barbara V. Foss and Peter M. Scherer were appointed Administrative Assistants to the Director. O'Leary left the next year, and Foss was replaced by Chauncie McKeever in FY 1981. In FY 1983 McKeever left, Scherer was appointed Special Assistant to the Director, and Linda Dunne was named Administrator. Scherer left in FY 1984.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 545, Cooper-Hewitt Museum. Administrator, Records
Access Restriction
Boxes 6 and 8 contain materials restricted indefinitely; see finding aid; Contact reference staff for details.

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Rohlfing, H. Christian Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dobkin, John H. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dunne, Linda Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Foss, Barbara V. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scherer, Peter M. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
McKeever, Chauncie Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
O'Leary, Daniel Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hathaway, Calvin S. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cooper-Hewitt Museum. Museum Advisory Board Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Miller House Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cooper-Hewitt Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Decorative arts Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Budget process Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fund raising Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums -- Educational aspects Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums -- Collection management Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums -- Membership Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum finance Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum exhibits Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Architectural drawings Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Color photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white transparencies Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Color transparencies Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
Contact us at osiaref@si.edu