National Academy Museum

April 7, 2016 editor's note: The National Academy Museum will close at its current location at 1083 Fifth Avenue (at 89th Street), New York, NY on June 1, 2016 and will remain closed until a new home is found.

Throughout its storied history, the National Academy has followed a simple yet powerful mission: to promote the fine arts in America through exhibition and education. Founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Thomas Cole and Asher B. Durand, the National Academy is the only institution of its kind that integrates a museum, art school, and association of artists and architects the National Academicians. Academicians include over 300 of today's most recognized artists and architects, including Christo, John Currin, Ann Hamilton, Richard Meier, Kiki Smith, Rafael Viñoly, and many others.

Illuminating canonical figures as well as those deserving of reappraisal, the museum widens the lens through which American art is viewed and appreciated. Rotating exhibitions include 19, 20 and 21 century art and architecture, reflections of contemporary American culture, and selections from the permanent collection. Exhibitions are supported with lectures, symposia, and panel discussions that engage the public with the Academy's living artistic legacy.

The first session of the Academy School commenced on November 15, 1826, with two Academicians and twenty students sketching by candlelight. The school rapidly grew in stature and reputation, attracting artists Winslow Homer, George Inness, Arshile Gorky, Willem de Kooning and others. Today, the Academy School continues to offer studio-based study in an intimate, creative environment, supporting the artistic journey of each student.

Why was this sub-index page prepared?

When Resource Library publishes over time more than one article concerning an institution, there is created as an additional resource for readers a sub-index page containing links to each Resource Library article or essay concerning that institution, plus available information on its location and other descriptive information.

See TFAO's Museums Explained to learn about the "inner workings" of art museums and the functions of staff members. In the exhibitions section find out how to get the most out of a museum visit. See definitions for a glossary of museum-related words used in articles.

To help you plan visits to institutions exhibiting American art when traveling see Sources of Articles Indexed by State within the United States.

Unless otherwise noted, all text and image materials relating to the above institutional source were provided by that source. Before reproducing or transmitting text or images please read Resource Library's user agreement.

Traditional Fine Arts Organization's catalogues provide many more useful resources:

American Representational Art links to dozens of topics in American Representational Art

Audio Online a catalogue of online streaming audio recordings

Collections of Historic American Art notable private collections

Distinguished Artists a national registry of historic artists

Geographic Tour of American Representational Art History a catalogue of articles and essays that describe the evolution of American art from the inception of the United States to WWII.

Illustrated Audio Online streaming online narrated slide shows

Articles and Essays Online substantive texts published outside of Resource Library

Videos Online a comprehensive catalogue of online full motion videos streamed free to viewers

Videos an authoritative guide to videos in VHS and DVD format

Books general reference books published on paper

Interactive media media in CD-ROM format

Magazines paper-published magazines and journals

About Resource Library

Resource Library is a free online publication of nonprofit Traditional Fine Arts Organization (TFAO). Since 1997, Resource Library and its predecessor Resource Library Magazine have cumulatively published online 1,300+ articles and essays written by hundreds of identified authors, thousands of other texts not attributable to named authors, plus 24,000+ images, all providing educational and informational content related to American representational art. Texts and related images are provided almost exclusively by nonprofit art museum, gallery and art center sources.

All published materials provide educational and informational content to students, scholars, teachers and others. Most published materials relate to exhibitions. Materials may include whole exhibition gallery guides, brochures or catalogues or texts from them, perviously published magazine or journal articles, wall panels and object labels, audio tour scripts, play scripts, interviews, blogs, checklists and news releases, plus related images.

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(left: JP Hazeltine, founding editor, Resource Library)

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