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Oral History Collection

 Collection
Identifier: OHC

Scope and Contents

The Oral History Collection preserves first-hand accounts of the museum’s activities. This collection is comprised of transcripts, audio and video interviews with artists, museum staff, scholars, curators, and trustees.

The recording of oral histories began at the museum in the 1980s and restarted in 2006, with an informal series of interviews that included Henry Magaziner (a close friend of Julian Abele, a noted architect and co-designer of the museum’s Fairmount Building), Ella Schaap (Curator Emerita of Dutch Tiles), and Beatrice Garvan (Curator Emerita of American Decorative Arts).

In 2008, a formal Oral History Project for the museum was implemented. This project enabled the Library and Archives to record a series of professional interviews documenting the work those who have helped to shape the museum as we know it today.

Dates

  • 1983-2015

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Oral History Collection is the physical property of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Archives. The Museum holds literary rights only for material created by Museum personnel or given to the Museum with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for obtaining permission from rights holders for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Extent

1 linear feet

Abstract

The Oral History Collection preserves first-hand accounts of the museum’s activities. This collection is comprised of transcripts, audio and video interviews with artists, museum staff, scholars, curators, and trustees.

Materials Specific Details

Several Oral Histories have been transcribed and are available in printed and bound volumes.

Processing Information

This collection was processed and described by Miriam Cady and Sophie Basalone in 2019.

Title
Guide to the Oral History Collection
Author
Sophie Basalone and Miriam Cady
Date
2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Library and Archives Repository

Contact:
Philadelphia Museum of Art
PO Box 7646
Philadelphia PA 19101-7646 United States