Museum
Addison Gallery of American Art
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Addison Gallery of American Art is a museum in Andover, United States.
About Addison Gallery of American Art
Overview
The Addison Gallery of American Art is an academic museum and a department of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. Established in 1931, it is dedicated exclusively to the collection and exhibition of American art, holding one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind in the world. The museum houses over 29,000 objects spanning from the 18th century to the present, including painting, sculpture, photography, drawings, prints, and decorative arts. It operates with a mission to serve the public through free admission and extensive educational outreach programs for students and teachers.
History & Founding
The gallery was founded through a generous gift from Phillips Academy alumnus and philanthropist Thomas Cochran. On January 10, 1930, Cochran offered $1,480,000 to the Academy's trustees, specifying $400,000 for the building, $650,000 for endowment, and $50,000 for a purchase fund, along with his personal art collection valued at $380,000. Cochran restricted the permanent collection to works by native-born or naturalized U.S. citizens. The museum was named in memory of his friend, Mrs. Keturah Addison Cobb. Construction began in 1930, and the building was dedicated on May 16, 1931, opening to the general public on May 18, 1931. Charles Sawyer served as the first director, followed by Bartlett H. Hayes, Jr. in 1940.
Building & Architecture
The original 1931 building was designed by renowned architect Charles Adams Platt in the Georgian Colonial Revival style. The design was intended to mimic and balance the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library across the campus Vista and Mall. The structure originally featured six exhibition rooms on the first floor, smaller galleries on the second floor, and a basement housing a library and study rooms. The main entrance leads to an octagonal foyer centered around a fountain featuring Paul Manship's sculpture 'Venus Anadyomene.' In 2008, a major renovation and expansion project led by Centerbrook Architects & Planners was completed in 2010. In 2011, a new glass roof was installed over the historic building to preserve its exterior character while enhancing natural light in the second-floor galleries.
Significance & Legacy
The Addison Gallery of American Art is recognized as one of the first museums in the world founded exclusively for American art. Its terms of trust, which limit the permanent collection to American artists, set a precedent for specialized academic museums. The institution has been a pioneer in art education, integrating its collection into the curriculum of Phillips Academy and offering free educational programs to diverse audiences. The gallery has organized numerous influential touring exhibitions, including the first museum retrospective of John Sloan and the first museum exhibition of works from collector William H. Lane. Its commitment to acquiring modern and contemporary art, such as the early acquisition of a Jackson Pollock canvas donated by Peggy Guggenheim, underscores its role in shaping the narrative of American art history.
Plan your visit
Addison Gallery of American Art
- Website
- addison.andover.edu