These records contain files from departments within the museum throughout the Art Institute’s history, including the office files of directors, curatorial department records, exhibition records, and more. The groupings listed below constitute only a small portion of our institutional holdings. Find information on access guidelines and procedures for institutional records here.
Annual and Financial Reports
This grouping includes annual reports, which were issued most years until fiscal year 2017, as well as financial statements and tax returns.
In fall 2017, under the leadership of James Rondeau, the annual report was initially reconceptualized as a “year in review,” then later as an Identity Piece (FY18–19), and finally an Impact Report (FY20, 22, 24). The latter two of these documents were devised to look back but also to the year ahead, capturing our work, collection, and impact in the community; serving as a stewardship tool; and providing a glimpse of exciting future endeavors.
Annual and financial reports can be found on the Archive of Financial Reports page. All of these documents, including the Identity Pieces and Impact reports can be viewed here.
Curatorial Records
These primarily contain exhibition records and office files of curatorial departments. Exhibition files are organized according to the originating department, and include research files, loan correspondence, installation and fundraising documentation, catalogue preparation files, press coverage, and follow-up material. Of particular interest are files from the Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture (1888– ); the Annual Exhibition of the Artists of Chicago and Vicinity (1897–) ; and the Annual Exhibition of Applied Arts (1902–1923).
Director’s Office
Until 1958 the director of the Art Institute also served as the institution’s chief curator and top administrator. During several periods in the institution’s history, the directorial responsibilities were divided. These are the office files of the directors, which contain correspondence with artists, collectors, dealers, scholars, other museums, trustees, and staff, among others.
Institutional Photography Archive
Historically referred to as the “Imaging Archive,” the Institutional Photography Archive (IPA) is the primary repository for historical photographic records of the Art Institute of Chicago, including physical and digital formats. These photographic materials feature object images of artwork and non-object images such as campus photography, gallery rotations, special exhibitions, classes at the School of the Art Institute, artists, staff, and administrators. The IPA is the largest and most important component of Record Group 706, Visual Materials.
The analog portion of the IPA comprises 612 linear feet of glass and film negatives, color transparencies, lantern slides, b/w and color photographic prints, books, and CDs. The IPA analog collection is divided among four collections: Departmental Acquisitions, Imaging Archive, Reference Materials, and Unrestricted Photographic Prints.
Libraries and Archives
These are the records of the Ryerson Library (1901–1957), the Burnham Library of Architecture (1912–1957), and the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries (1957–). The two libraries were merged administratively in 1957, but were not integrated physically until 1967. The records consist primarily of annual reports of the librarians, documentation of major library acquisitions, special projects such as oral histories and microfilming of architectural drawings, and the building history of the libraries.
Museum and Education
The museum first established a department devoted to education in 1913—the Department of Museum Instruction. This department was twice renamed, first as the Department of Museum Education in 1934, and most recently as the Department of Learning and Public Engagement in 2017. Prior to 1913, there was no formal educational department, although there were museum guides available to visitors. These guides, who were mainly senior museum staff members and volunteers, were informally referred to as the Museum Guidance Department, which was never officially established.
Museum Registration
These are records of transactions involving museum collections, including accessions, deaccessions, loans, insurance information, shipping arrangements, and condition reports, among others. The majority of these records consist of shipping orders and receipts of objects. Access restrictions apply.
An interesting highlight of the museum registration records is the collection records series, which contains files corresponding to certain donors and collections, including correspondence, lists, appraisals, and biographical data:
Public Affairs
These records include press releases, news clippings, audio-visual press coverage, and other publicity about Art Institute exhibitions and events.
Historical press releases can be found here.
Secretary’s Office (Corporate Records)
These are essential archival records of the corporation that document the founding of the museum and school, changes in the corporate structure and policies of the institution, and the history of gifts, bequests, and estates to the institution.
