Archives of American Art

The Archives of American Art is the world’s preeminent and most widely used research center dedicated to collecting, preserving, and providing access to primary sources that document the history of the visual arts in America.

Read more about the Archives

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What's Happening at the Archives
  • Anita Fields (Osage | b. 1951) is an artist who makes history palpable through ceramics, textiles, and more. Hear her journey in her own words and how she continues to innovate after decades of work in clay and cloth.

  • The papers of fabricator and founder of Tallix Foundry Dick Polich are spotlighted by Josh T Franco, head of collecting.

The Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art has announced the recipients of The Lawrence A. Fleischman Award for Scholarly Excellence in the Field of American Art History and the Archives of American Art Medal. These annual awards, the Archives of American Art’s highest honors, recognize individuals who have made transformative contributions in the field of American art.

About the Archives

Original material can be consulted by appointment in our Washington, D.C. Headquarters.

Copies of unrestricted microfilm materials can be obtained through one of our affiliated research centers.

Internship, fellowship, and volunteer opportunities provide students and lifelong learners with the ability to contribute to the study and preservation of visual arts records in America.

A virtual repository of a substantial cross-section of the Archives' most significant collections.

Visit the Terra Foundation Center for Digital Collections