View a discussion on the history of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
A discussion concerning one of the first U.S. art museums, from the documentary Art Gets a Start in America: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Great Museums Television (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
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Transcript
[Music in]
DANIEL ROSENFELD: The academy is not a typical municipal museum.
SYLVIA YOUNT: We are the first museum and school of fine arts in this country.
FREDERICK OSBORNE: Historically, the academy's absolutely a national story. For the first 100 years it generated most of the major figures in American art, either out of its studios or out of the museum.
SYLVIA YOUNT: I think it's important to remember that from the beginning of our history, we showed the work of contemporary artists.
NARRATOR: And now, nearly 200 years later, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia, continues this tradition.
FREDERICK OSBORNE: The unique challenge of the academy is how to maintain its enormous tradition while at the same time operating an institution that's completely contemporary.
DANIEL ROSENFELD: We train contemporary artists, and we exhibit work by contemporary artists. We do the same today as—as we did when we opened our doors in 1805.
[Music out]
DANIEL ROSENFELD: The academy is not a typical municipal museum.
SYLVIA YOUNT: We are the first museum and school of fine arts in this country.
FREDERICK OSBORNE: Historically, the academy's absolutely a national story. For the first 100 years it generated most of the major figures in American art, either out of its studios or out of the museum.
SYLVIA YOUNT: I think it's important to remember that from the beginning of our history, we showed the work of contemporary artists.
NARRATOR: And now, nearly 200 years later, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia, continues this tradition.
FREDERICK OSBORNE: The unique challenge of the academy is how to maintain its enormous tradition while at the same time operating an institution that's completely contemporary.
DANIEL ROSENFELD: We train contemporary artists, and we exhibit work by contemporary artists. We do the same today as—as we did when we opened our doors in 1805.
[Music out]