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69th Street Branch Records

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Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]Philadelphia Museum of Art, PO Box 7646, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7646

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
SIX
Repository:
Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives
Extent:
1.25 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Item identification and date], [Series info.], 69th Street Branch Records, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Archives.
Date:
1928-1933 (inclusive)
Abstract:
None available.

In 1931, the Pennsylvania Museum embarked upon an innovative, if short-lived, experiment in reaching new audiences by opening a branch site at the 69th Street Community Center. Located just outside the city limits in Delaware County with Philip N. Youtz as Curator, the Branch Museum mounted twenty-three exhibitions during its operation--ranging from Chinese art to 19th-century American painting. The Museum attracted over 215,000 visitors in its first year, but despite its popularity and generous funding from the Carnegie Foundation and private donor John H. McClatchy, financial difficulties forced it to close permanently on October 17, 1932.

With records spanning from 1928-1933, this small but intriguing collection documents the short-lived 69th Street Branch of the Pennsylvania Museum from its inception to its closure. Administrative records include correspondence, memoranda, minutes, planning records, press and publicity, photographs, and affiliations. Eighteen exhibitions held between 1931 and 1932 are individually documented, and other exhibition-related records--such as budgets, schedules, insurance, and loans--span from 1931 to 1933.

Administrative records are arranged alphabetically by subject. Records pertaining to specific exhibitions are arranged chronologically, and general exhibition information is arranged alphabetically at the front of the series.

These materials were arranged and described by Merle Chamberlain, Louise F. Rossmassler and Megan Finn. Funded by a grant from The National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Archives. Includes documentation of 69th Street Branch in the "Other sites" subseries of the "PMA-related facilities" series. Fiske Kimball Records.

Publisher
Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Merle Chamberlain, Louise F. Rossmassler and Megan Finn
Finding Aid Date
©2013
Sponsor
Funded by a grant from The National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

The 69th Street Branch Records are 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.

Collection Inventory

Scope and Content Note

This series includes correspondences, memoranda, minutes, planning records, press and publicity, photographs, and affiliations.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Physical Description

0.5 linear feet

American Association for Adult Education., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 1
American Federation of Arts., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 2
Attendance figures (first week)., May 8-14, 1931.
Box 1 Folder 3
Attendance figures., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 4
Community Center Auditorium., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 5
Community survey by Miss K. Clark., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 6
Correspondence of P. N. Youtz; A-Bonn., 1931-1933.
Box 1 Folder 7
Correspondence of P. N. Youtz; Bor-Z., 1931-1933.
Box 1 Folder 8
Correspondence of P. N. Youtz with Fiske Kimball., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 9
Correspondence, general; A-Z., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 10
Correspondence, general; staff memoranda., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 11
Expenditures and inventory of equipment., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 12
Floor plan, schedules, equipment, etc., 1931-1932.
Box 1 Folder 13
Lecture series., December 1931-February 1932.
Box 1 Folder 14
Memoranda between Youtz and Kimball., 1931-1933.
Box 2 Folder 1
Minutes of Committee on Museum., 1932-1933.
Box 2 Folder 2
Opening; booklet by Carnegie Corporation; PMA Bulletin., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 3
Photographs., 1931-1932.
Box 2 Folder 4
Press and Publicity., 1931-1932.
Box 2 Folder 5
Press releases regarding the opening and organization of the branch., 1931-1932.
Box 2 Folder 6
Schools, cooperation with., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 7
Women's clubs., 1931-1932.
Box 2 Folder 8
Work and writings of P. N. Youtz., 1928-1930.
Box 2 Folder 9

Scope and Content Note

General exhibition records relating to budgets, insurance, loans, press and publicity as well as specific records for 18 exhibitions held at the branch museum.

Arrangement

Records pertaining to specific exhibitions are arranged chronologically, and general exhibition information is arranged alphabetically at the front of the series.

Physical Description

0.5 linear ft.

Exhibition budgets., 1932-1933.
Box 2 Folder 10
Loans to others exhibitions., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 11
Miscellaneous., 1931-1932.
Box 2 Folder 12
Posters and exhibition schedules., 1931-1932.
Box 2 Folder 13
Press releases., [1931-1932].
Box 2 Folder 14
Insurance on exhibitions., 1931-1933.
Box 2 Folder 15
"American Painting of the 19th Century." May 1931., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 16
"French Impressionist Painters." June 1931., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 17
"Metal Work." June 25-July 29, 1931., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 18
"America of the Early Republic, 1776-1830." Sept.-Oct. 1931., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 19
"Ancient Chinese Art." Oct.-Nov. 1931., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 20
"Delaware County Schools Exhibition." Nov. 17-Dec. 1, 1931., 1931.
Box 2 Folder 21
"Religious Art of the Gothic and Renaissance Period." Dec. 1931-Jan. 1932., 1931-1932.
Box 3 Folder 1
"Indian Tribal Arts." Jan. 6-26, 1932., 1931-1932.
Box 3 Folder 2
"Paintings by Woodstock Artists." Jan. 26-Feb. 12, 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 3
Diego Rivera exhibition. Feb. 1932.
Box 3 Folder 4
"Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts." Mar. 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 5
"Paintings and Sculpture by Swedish Women Artists." Apr. 12-May 2, 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 6
"American Industrial Art." May 3-23, 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 7
"Contemporary American Painters." June 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 8
"Modern and Historical German Prints." Aug. 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 9
"Twelfth International Water Color Exhibition." Sep. 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 10
"Chicago Painters." Oct. 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 11
"Egyptian Art." Oct. 1932., 1932.
Box 3 Folder 12

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