Contacting the Archives
Visiting the Archives
Access and Reproduction Policies
PAFA Records in the Archives of American ArtContacting the Archives
The Archives of the PAFA is currently closed. Research inquiries about artists, works of art, or the history of PAFA cannot be accomodated.
Visiting the Archives
When the archives is open researchers are welcome, by appointment only, on weekdays between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Please contact the archivist in advance to discuss your research needs and to make an appointment.
Access and Reproduction Policies
Researchers may examine objects in the collection, by appointment only, and should be prepared to describe their research project or publication.
Contact the Archivist to examine manuscripts or photographs or to quote from a manuscript.
Contact the Rights and Reproductions Department to request permission to reproduce an image from the collection and obtain a schedule of fees.
PAFA Records in the Archives of American Art
This branch of the Smithsonian Institution, which preserves primary documents in American art history and makes them available to researchers, has most of PAFA's older records and publications (including newspaper clippings) on microfilm.
These materials are available at the AAA offices in Washington, DC or New York, as well as at several other major libraries, including the Free Library of Philadelphia, which is within walking distance of PAFA.
You can order microfilm through the Interlibrary Loan system, from the Washington, DC office. For information and a searchable catalogue of the AAA holdings, visit www.aaa.si.edu.