Seattle Art Museum records, 1908-2004

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle Art Museum
Title
Seattle Art Museum records
Dates
1908-2004
Quantity
422.55 cubic ft. (441 boxes, 1 package, 4 folders)
Collection Number
2636
Summary
Records of the Seattle Art Museum, the largest art museum in the Pacific Northwest
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Access partially restricted. For terms of access, contact Special Collections.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Seattle Art Museum was established in 1933. It was preceded by the Seattle Fine Arts Society (1910-1929) and the Art Institute of Seattle (1929-1933). From 1933 until 1991 the museum was based in Volunteer Park, in a building designed by Carl F. Gould. A new museum in downtown Seattle opened in 1991 with a collection in excess of 18,000 objects. The Volunteer Park building became the Seattle Asian Art Museum, also administered by the Seattle Art Museum.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Correspondence, writings, minutes, reports, budget files, exhibition files, conferences and conventions, project and planning files, committee files, loan files, lists, indexes, personnel files, development files, grant files, policy manuals, newsletters, publications, publicity, clippings, scrapbooks, engagement books, catalogs, photographs, slides, ephemera, subject files.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 26 accessions.

  • Accession No. 2636-001, Seattle Art Museum records, 1910-1970
  • Accession No. 2636-002, Seattle Art Museum records, 1941-1974
  • Accession No. 2636-003, Seattle Art Museum records, 1974
  • Accession No. 2636-004, Seattle Art Museum records, 1953-1956
  • Accession No. 2636-005, Seattle Art Museum records, 1908-1952
  • Accession No. 2636-011, Seattle Art Museum records, 1975-1979
  • Accession No. 2636-018, Seattle Art Museum records, 1968-1978
  • Accession No. 2636-020, Seattle Art Museum records, 1959-1986
  • Accession No. 2636-021, Seattle Art Museum records, 1953-1974
  • Accession No. 2636-022, Seattle Art Museum records, 1913-1985
  • Accession No. 2636-023, Seattle Art Museum, 1953-1968
  • Accession No. 2636-024, Seattle Art Museum records, 1962-1983
  • Accession No. 2636-025, Seattle Art Museum records, 1935-1936
  • Accession No. 2636-026, Seattle Art Museum records, 1947-1986
  • Accession No. 2636-027, Seattle Art Museum records, 1978-1987
  • Accession No. 2636-028, Seattle Art Museum records, 1973-1985
  • Accession No. 2636-029, Seattle Art Museum records, 1990
  • Accession No. 2636-030, Seattle Art Museum records, 1960-1991
  • Accession No. 2636-031, Seattle Art Museum records, 1923-1991
  • Accession No. 2636-032, Seattle Art Museum records, 1953-1957
  • Accession No. 2636-033, Seattle Art Museum records, undated
  • Accession No. 2636-034, Seattle Art Museum records, 1978-1997
  • Accession No. 2636-035, Seattle Art Museum records, 1932-1993
  • Accession No. 2636-036, Seattle Art Museum records, 1927-2002
  • Accession No. 2636-037, Seattle Art Museum records, 1933-2004
  • Accession No. 2636-038, Seattle Art Museum records, 1978

Acquisition Information

Received from the Seattle Art Museum between 1976 and 2005.

Related Materials

The Seattle Art Museum website has been regularly captured by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine since 2014. The snapshots can be viewed here: https://wayback.archive-it.org/4224/*/http://www.seattleartmuseum.org

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 2636-001: Seattle Art Museum records, 1910-1970Return to Top

40.00 cubic ft. (40 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence and supporting records from the Seattle Art Museum and its two predecessor organizations.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, January 7, September 30, and December 21, 1976.

Processing Info: Processing Level 2.

Accession No. 2636-002: Seattle Art Museum records, 1941-1974Return to Top

0.03 cubic ft. (1 folder)

Biographical/Historical Note: Richard E. Fuller was head of the Seattle Art Museum, and its main benefactor, between 1933 and 1973.

Scope and Content: Letters between Dr. Richard E. Fuller and artists, mostly from the Northwest.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, November 1, 1977.

Accession No. 2636-003: Seattle Art Museum records, 1974Return to Top

0.84 cubic ft. ( 3 boxes)

Scope and Content: Letters, layout designs, notes, tapes concerning the Skagit Valley Artists Exhibition, catalogs in 1974. Includes Jeri McDonald's files dealing with Skagit artists as well as the exhibition catalog.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, March 25, 1978.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-004: Seattle Art Museum records, 1953-1956Return to Top

0.14 cubic ft. (1 package)

Scope and Content: Five electrical transcription discs from 1953-1956, presumably broadcast on KXA. They concern the Seattle Art Museum, Norman Davis, a Japanese Art Exhibit Premiere, and a Walter P. Chrysler Exhibit.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, May 4, 1978.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-005: Seattle Art Museum records, 1908-1952Return to Top

3.00 cubic ft. (3 boxes)

Scope and Content: Clippings. Photocopies of clippings are pasted to 8.5" x 11" loose sheets of bond paper with dates pencilled on the upper corner of sheets.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum. Merger of acc. nos. 2636-005, 2636-012, and 2636-019.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-011: Seattle Art Museum records, 1975-1979Return to Top

1.42 cubic ft. ( 2 boxes)

Scope and Content: Exhibition files, including correspondence, loans, clippings, photographs; 1975-1979. Files are from Modern Art Department of Seattle Art Museum and are in chronological order.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, October 21, 1982.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-018: Seattle Art Museum records, 1968-1978Return to Top

8.63 cubic ft. (10 boxes)

Scope and Content: Exhibition files.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, February 21, 1986.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-020: Seattle Art Museum records, 1959-1986Return to Top

24.00 cubic ft. (24 boxes)

Scope and Content: General correspondence, exhibit planning files, related materials; ca. 1959-1986. The records are primarily files of Executive Directors Willis Woods (1974-1979) and Arnold Jolles (1979-1985). Also includes papers of Thomas Maytham as Associate Director, and records of Asian Art Department, primarily exhibition and publication correspondence.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, July 31, 1986.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-021: Seattle Art Museum records, 1953-1974Return to Top

0.42 cubic ft. (1 box)

Scope and Content: Engagement books; 1953-1974.

Complete run of Seattle Art Museum engagement books, from the initial year a book was produced in 1953 through the 1974 edition . Each page of the calendar has a picture of an item from the Museum collection.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, September 2, 1986.

Accession No. 2636-022: Seattle Art Museum records, 1913-1985Return to Top

7.00 cubic ft. ( 7 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, reports, exhibition files, ephemera; 1957-1985; Seattle Fine Arts Society records, 1913-1917.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, December 17, 1986.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-023: Seattle Art Museum, 1953-1968Return to Top

3.00 cubic ft. (3 boxes)

Scope and Content: Clippings; 1953-1968. Photocopies of clippings are pasted to 8.5" x 11" loose sheets of bond paper. Dates are penciled on the upper corner of sheets.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, April 21, 1987.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-024: Seattle Art Museum records, 1962-1983Return to Top

12.00 cubic ft. (12 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, exhibition files, conferences and conventions, project and planning files, photographs, subject series; 1962-1983.

Except for a small amount of material from Curator of Textiles, this entire accession is from the Asian Art Department.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, July 14, 1987.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-025: Seattle Art Museum records, 1935-1936Return to Top

0.63 cubic ft. (2 boxes)

Scope and Content: Typewritten drafts of two monographs: "Various Chinese Poets, Their Biographies and Selected Poems", 1935 and "Art-Themes in Chinese Poetry", 1936 by Hardin T. McClelland.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, July 14, 1987.

Accession No. 2636-026: Seattle Art Museum records, 1947-1986Return to Top

5.03 cubic ft. (5 boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, minutes, budgets, reports, planning files, exhibition files, other record series; 1947-1986. Includes files of Henry Trubner and Bill Rathbun.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, August 28, 1987.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-027: Seattle Art Museum records, 1978-1987Return to Top

6.00 cubic ft. (6 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, minutes, budgets, personnel files, policy manuals, and subject series, from the Seattle Art Museum's Personnel Department; 1978-1987.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, January 14, 1988.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-028: Seattle Art Museum records, 1973-1985Return to Top

6.84 cubic ft. (9 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, minutes, exhibition files, lists, clippings; 1973-1985. The bulk of this accession is from the Modern Art Department.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, January 14, 1988.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-029: Seattle Art Museum records, 1990Return to Top

0.03 cubic ft. (1 folder)

Scope and Content: Index produced in 1990 concerning the artists described in the Seattle Art Museum's computerized data-management system. The system documents over 550 artists working in all media. Biographical features, exhibition histories, bibliographies, etc. can be obtained for a small charge per page from the Seattle Art Museum by written request. A cover letter gives the name and address of the person to contact in the Museum's Office of the Registrar. The title of the index is "Northwest Artists in the Seattle Art Museum Collection".

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, January 24, 1990.

Accession No. 2636-030: Seattle Art Museum records, 1960-1991Return to Top

124.00 cubic ft. (122 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, financial records, budgets, development files, acknowledgements of gifts, grants and grant proposals, reports, publicity, newsletters/calendars, surveys, exhibition files, publications, blueprints, photographs, clippings; 1960-1991.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, February 12, and February 28, 1992.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-031: Seattle Art Museum records, 1923-1991Return to Top

67.00 cubic ft. (67 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, financial records, development files, public relations files, exhibition files, newsletters, and minutes; 1923-1991.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, March 27, April 9, and May 1, 1992.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-032: Seattle Art Museum records, 1953-1957Return to Top

0.03 cubic ft. (1 folder)

Scope and Content: Two negatives with corresponding photographs (8" x 10", black and white). One shows Kenjiro Nomura, probably taken at the Zoe Dusanne Gallery, 1953; the other is of Zoe Dusanne, Paul Horiuchi, his wife and child, May 1957.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, January 16, 1990.

Accession No. 2636-033: Seattle Art Museum records, undatedReturn to Top

0.33 cubic ft. (1 box)

Scope and Content: Scrapbook of color photographs compiled by Priscilla Klepser, documenting her collection of porcelain in the museum.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, March July 24, 1995.

Accession No. 2636-034: Seattle Art Museum records, 1978-1997Return to Top

9.00 cubic ft. ( 9 boxes)

Scope and Content: Exhibition records, comment books; 1978-1997 (bulk 1986-1996).

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, August 8, 1997.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-035: Seattle Art Museum records, 1932-1993 (bulk ca. 1970-1993)Return to Top

2.00 cubic ft. (2 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, photographs, subject series; 1932-1993 (bulk ca. 1970-1993). Records document the work of the Office of the Registrar.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, August 15, 1997.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-036: Seattle Art Museum records, 1927-2002 (bulk ca. 1980-1997)Return to Top

85.76 cubic ft. ( 87 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, project files, curatorial files, director's office files, council and guild files, press releases and other files of the museum, subject series; 1927-2002 (bulk ca. 1980-1997). Records document, in part, the administrative and curatorial functions of the museum.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, June 3, 2003.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Accession No. 2636-037: Seattle Art Museum records, 1933-2004 (bulk 1979-2003)Return to Top

25.42 cubic ft. (26 boxes)

Scope and Content: Exhibition files, loan files, committee files, budget files, annual reports, subjet files; 1933-2004 (bulk 1979-2003). Exhibition files include correspondence, check lists, condition reports, photographs, slides, and other records created by the Office of the Registrar during planning for past Seattle Art Museum exhibits.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Acquisition Info: Received from the Seattle Art Museum, March 17, 2005.

Processing Info: Processing Level 1.

Container(s) Description Dates
Registrar's Office
Box Accession
1-2 2636-037
Travelling Exhibitions
1979-1985
Exhibitions
Box Accession
2-3 2636-037
Exhibitions
1986
3-4 2636-037
Exhibitions
1987
4-5 2636-037
Exhibitions
1988
5-6 2636-037
Exhibitions
1989-1990
6-7 2636-037
Exhibitions
1991-1993
7-8 2636-037
Exhibitions
1993-1996
8-9 2636-037
Exhibitions
2000-2001
9-10 2636-037
Exhibitions
1988-1992
Box Accession
10 2636-037
Volunteer Park Installation
1994
10 2636-037
Registrars Committee
1979-1981
10 2636-037
Collection Committee
1988-1989
Downtown Installations
Box Accession
10 2636-037
Northwest Checklist
1991
10 2636-037
Islamic Galleries
1991
10 2636-037
Photography / Northwest Art Galleries
1991
10 2636-037
Oceania and Africa
1991
Administrative
Box Accession
10 2636-037
Downtown Maintenance Budget
1991-1992
10 2636-037
SAM Warehouse
1991-1993
10 2636-037
Fiscal Year Budgets
2003
10 2636-037
Paid Invoices
2002
10 2636-037
Mastercard Expeditures
2000-2002
11-12 2636-037
Fiscal Year Budgets
1992-2002
Box Accession
12-15 2636-037
Retired Exhibitions
1989-2003
15-16 2636-037
Completed Loans Out
1989-1993
16-18 2636-037
Retired Outgoing Loans
1993-2000
18 2636-037
Loan Log Book
1966-1986
18-19 2636-037
Treasures From A Lost Civilization: Ancient Chinese Art From Sichuan Exhibition Condition Reports
2000-2002
19 2636-037
Annual Reports
1979-1999
19 2636-037
Seattle Art Museum Strategic Plans
1973-2003
19 2636-037
Cancelled Exhibitions
1999-2004
19 2636-037
ARGUS
1988-1989
19 2636-037
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperative (APEC)
1993-1994
20-21 2636-037
Processed Rights and Reproduction Requests
1999-2002
21 2636-037
Accession Log Copies
1933-1984
21-22 2636-037
Downtown Move and Building Preparation
1984-1992
23-26 2636-037
Matisse "Oriente Casaque Brodee"
Restrictions on Access: RESTRICTED
1997-2000

Accession No. 2636-038: Seattle Art Museum records, 1978Return to Top

.03 cubic feet (1 vertical file)

Biographical/Historical Note: Author/Creator: Lilian Kaplan and Seattle Art Museum. In 1978, the Seattle Art Museum was in the process of identifying a new downtown location to allow for a larger, more central building than their then-current location in Volunteer Park. On April 28, 1978, Seattle Mayor Charles Royer proposed that the new museum should be built in Westlake Mall.

Scope and Content: Published report on the Seattle Art Museum Westlake Campaign. Includes sections on Seattle Art Museum history, collections and curators, named galleries, endowment, programs and services, Westlake, opportunities for giving, financial statement, questions and answers, and media coverage.

Restrictions on Access:

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights retained. Contact Special Collections for details.

Acquisition Info: Undetermined, found in serials backlog., null

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Art museums--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Fuller, Richard E. (Richard Eugene), 1897-1976
  • Jolles, Arnold H., 1940-
  • Lee, Sherman E.--Archives
  • Maytham, Thomas N.--Archives
  • Woods, Willis F

Corporate Names

  • Art Institute of Seattle--Archives
  • Seattle Art Museum--Archives
  • Seattle Fine Arts Society--Archives