PAFA's Digital Archives
The primary mission of the archives is to collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to historical records that document PAFA's rich history as America's first school and museum of fine arts. PAFA's Digital Archives is a dedicated research platform that promotes greater public access to digital collections as well as historical resources curated by staff. New collections and resources are routinely added, so please check back often.
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Doing research in museums can be intimidating. PAFA's staff is here to help researchers use our catalogs and research tools, access works of art, manuscripts and other material from PAFA's collection.
Museum staff have compiled informational resources on important events, activities, and people throughout the museum and school's history. Start your preliminary research here.
As America's first museum and school of fine arts, the archives contains vital institutional records and artist manuscripts that document the activities that helped shape American Art and artists.
The archives offers fee based services including reproduction and license requests for items in the archives for personal, scholarly, or commercial use, remote research, & digitization.
Always changing and evolving, experience PAFA's world-famous collection of American art. Plan your trip to visit our galleries in the Historic Landmark Building, the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building.
Staff, interns, volunteers, and others share insights and stories that provide a closer look at PAFA's collections and research. Be sure to follow along to get a behind the scenes look at staff in action!
The archives relies on your support to grow its collections and to document our shared past. PAFA welcomes the opportunity to speak with individuals who are interested in donating historical records.
Please review the archives' various policies governing access and use as well as collection development, copyright, terms of use, and digitization standards.