The Department of Decorative Arts was established in 1949 to collect, preserve, exhibit, and act as an information source for three-dimensional objects used in architectural, residential, and personal environments. In addition, the Department maintained the Museum's wallpaper pattern collections until the creation of a separate Department of Wallcoverings in 1976. The Department's name was changed to Applied Arts and Industrial Design in about 1993.

Staff have included Thomas E. Lennox, Assistant Curator, 1964-1967; Janet Thorpe, Assistant Curator, 1967-1969, and Associate Curator, 1969-1973; Catherine Lynn, Assistant Curator, 1969-1974; J. Stewart Johnson, Curator, 1974-1976; David R. McFadden, Curator, 1978-1993; and Deborah Shinn, Curator in Charge, 1995-1996, and Assistant Curator, 1997- .