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Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Accession 97-078

National Portrait Gallery (Smithsonian Institution). Office of the Director

Records, circa 1970-1979, 1982-1994

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:National Portrait Gallery (Smithsonian Institution). Office of the Director
Title:Records
Dates:circa 1970-1979, 1982-1994
Quantity:3 cu. ft. (3 record storage boxes)
Collection:Accession 97-078
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

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 SI 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 USIA and was to be shown in China in September 1987, but was ultimately cancelled. Work on the exhibit was completed, however, and it was shown in Hong Kong and Japan in 1987 and 1988.

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.

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This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.

Name

Subject

Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection

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Preferred Citation

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

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Container List

Box 1

Activities Management Report, 1991-1994

Box 1 of 3

Activities Management Report, 1988-1990

Box 1 of 3

Smithsonian Year, 1994

Box 1 of 3

Smithsonian Year, 1993

Box 1 of 3

Smithsonian Year, 1992

Box 1 of 3

Smithsonian Year, 1991

Box 1 of 3

Smithsonian Year, 1990

Box 1 of 3

Contrasts: 40 Years of Change and Continuity in Puerto Rico (Jack Delano/Book), 1989

Box 1 of 3

State Department Diplomatic Reception Rooms, 1970-1979

Box 1 of 3

Box 2

Old Hickory: A Life Sketch of Andrew Jackson (Exhibition), 11/9/1990 - 1/20/1991

Box 2 of 3

The Five of Hearts (Exhibition), 6/9/1990 - 11/4/1990

Box 2 of 3

Icons of Invention: American Patent Models (Exhibition), 5/4/1990 - 6/3/1990

Box 2 of 3

Portraits of American Law (Exhibition), 10/13/1989 - 1/15/1990

Box 2 of 3

Oliphant's Presidents: 25 Years of Caricature (Exhibition), 4/6/1990 - 11/25/1990

Box 2 of 3

The First Federal Congress: 1789-1791 (Exhibition), 3/2/1989 - 7/23/1989

Box 2 of 3

Noguchi (Exhibition), FY 1989

Box 2 of 3

American Colonial Portraits: 1700-1776 (Exhibits), FY 1988

Box 2 of 3

American Colonial Portraits (Symposium), 1987

Box 2 of 3

Perlman/Major (Exhibits), FY 1987

Box 2 of 3

Polaroid (Exhibits), FY 1987

Box 2 of 3

Indian Peace Medals (Exhibits), FY 1985

Box 2 of 3

Ulysses S. Grant (Exhibits), FY 1984

Box 2 of 3

Robert Cornelius (Exhibits), FY 1983

Box 2 of 3

On the Air (Exhibits), FY 1982

Box 2 of 3

Box 3

Then and Now: American Portraits of the Past Century in NPG (Exhibition/Sapporo and Tokyo, Japan Venues, 2 of 2), 1988

Box 3 of 3

Then and Now: American Portraits of the Past Century in NPG (Exhibition/Sapporo and Tokyo, Japan Venues, 1 of 2), 1988

Box 3 of 3

Then and Now: American Portraits of the Past Century in NPG (Exhibition/Hong Kong Venue), 1987-1988

Box 3 of 3

China Exhibition Planning (2 of 2) (Exhibition), 1986-1987

Box 3 of 3

China Exhibition Planning (1 of 2) (Exhibition), 1986-1987

Box 3 of 3

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