TO PRESERVE & ADVANCE
The Metal Museum’s permanent collection is one of the ways we embody our mission to preserve and advance the art and craft of fine metalwork.
The Metal Museum's Permanent Collection of over 3,000 objects represents a broad spectrum of metalwork, including contemporary hollowware, sculpture and studio jewelry created by artist metalsmiths, as well as historic objects dating back to the Renaissance. In addition to metal objects, the Museum collections include a resource library of over 6,000 books and folios and an archive of over 36,000 architectural drawings, photographs and slides. The collections serve as a resource for artists and researchers interested in particular forms, processes and techniques, as well as a repository for metalsmiths to preserve their legacy. It is accessible to the public through onsite exhibitions, the online catalog, loans to other institutions and by appointment with our curatorial staff.
FOCUS OF THE COLLECTION
The Permanent Collection at the Metal Museum focuses on artists and artworks from the post-Craft Revival period, from the 1970s to present. Several metalsmiths who were instrumental in the revival of the field in the United States, such as L. Brent Kington and James Wallace, are represented in the Collection. Historic pieces help tell the story of the Craft-Revival by documenting the progress and decline of the field prior to the Revival, as well as influences on the American metalsmiths of the 20th century to current day.
VISIBLE STORAGE
The Metal Museum's Library Building was recently renovated to include new Visible Storage galleries. Funded by the Jeniam Foundation, Visible Storage consists of high density storage units with glass cabinet tops and glass covered drawers. Objects from the Permanent Collection are housed in these units to allow visitors and researchers greater access to the collection. Please continue to come to the Library to see new works as they are added.
SUPPORT THE COLLECTION
The Permanent Collection continues to grow through gifts, purchases and bequests.
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For more information about donating work, please contact Director of Collections & Exhibitions
Laura Hutchison Bhatti at laura@metalmuseum.org
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For more information about contributing to the Permanent Collection Endowment, please contact Executive Director Carissa Hussong at carissa@metalmuseum.org
The Curatorial team is continuing to digitize our collections. Please click the link below to explore a portion of our Permanent Collection.
