Browse over fifty years of publications on American art including books, regional research guides, and the Archives of American Art Journal.
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Learn more about the Archives and explore our scholarly and educational initiatives.
About Our Collections
From 2012-2019, the Archives administered a graduate research essay prize funded by the Dedalus Foundation. The prize recognized original research by a graduate student that engaged deeply with the collections of the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art.
Stay connected with the Archives of American Art through our news, updates, and the Archives of American Art blog.
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Archives and explore the projects and people that are working to preserve the history of the visual arts in America.
The Archives of American Art’s Teaching with Primary Sources program offers workshops and professional development fellowships that foster new approaches to teaching the history of art by engaging with primary sources.
About the Archives
Founded at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1954, the Archives of American Art collects, preserves, and makes available primary sources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States.
Be part of the Archives' team by working alongside our staff and more than 20 million archival items.
The Archives of American Art board of trustees and staff leadership.
The Archives of American Art’s exhibition space is located two blocks away from our D.C. Research Center in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture (8th and F Streets NW).
Please visit www.si.edu/visit for more information and to review safety requirements before your visit.
Learn more about visiting the gallery.
Hours: Open daily 11:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Support the Archives
Your support of the Archives of American Art helps us achieve our mission to collect, preserve, and provide access to primary sources that document the history of the visual arts in America.
Write for the Archives of American Art Journal
The Archives of American Art supports new approaches and out-of-the-box thinking about primary source materials.
Find out how to submit your article for publication consideration today.
Get Involved
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.