Institutional Archives

Overview

The Archives of the Delaware Art Museum preserves and makes available non-current historical records of the Delaware Art Museum and historical materials relevant to the work of the institution. It is the primary source of information concerning past activities, events and functions of the Delaware Art Museum, including records of the Museum offices and papers of the Museum staff reflecting their professional activities. The goal of the Museum Archives program is to capture the function of the institution beyond simply preserving the paper. Collections include:

• Administrative and program records
• Correspondence and professional papers of former staff
• Photographs of Museum events, architecture and personalities
• Records of exhibitions held at the Museum. A comprehensive Exhibition History (1912-2003) is available online. This list will be updated periodically as material becomes available.
  

DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the Society first organized as the Delaware Art and Library Association, composed of a group of the friends of Howard Pyle, Wilmington artist, illustrator and author who had died in Florence, Italy, on November 9, 1911, at the age of 58. The Association sponsored an exhibition of paintings by Howard Pyle in the Hotel DuPont in March 1912 for one week. So much enthusiasm was aroused that a spontaneous raising of funds followed, resulting in the purchase from Mrs. Pyle of a collection of many of the artist's finest works. In November of the same year, the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts was incorporated, and the Trustees of the Howard Pyle Fund formally deeded the Howard Pyle Collection to the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts.