Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum Records

Collection

Identifier: UA 0027.0001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the official records that reflect the history and activities of the Office of Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum from 1942-2015. These records contain materials related to art collections, art exhibits, dedications, donors, and the history of the museum. It also includes a book, Weatherspoon Art Musuem: 70 Years of Collecting, which documents various artists and pieces of art that the museum has displayed since its establishment. The files include announcements, annual reports, books, brochures, catalogs, correspondence, flyers, newsletters, pamphlets, and an archive of the department's website.

Dates

1942 - 2021

Creator

Office of the Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical or Historical Information

The Weatherspoon Art Gallery was established in 1942 during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Woman's College (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The head of the department of art, the dean of the College, and the dean of administration were instrumental in founding the Gallery, which was housed in an unused science lab in the McIver Memorial Building. It was named in honor founding president Charles Duncan McIver's sister and the first art teacher at the college Mrs. Elizabeth McIver Weatherspoon.

In 1989, the Museum moved to the Cone Building, named after Anne and Benjamin Cone who donated $2 million dollars for its construction. In 2001, the Weatherspoon Art Gallery changed its name to the Weatherspoon Art Museum. The decision to change the name came from a desire to more adequately reflect its function and mission as the gallery had grown and expanded in size and scope.

From its inception, the Museum has focused on building a permanent collection of modern and contemporary American art that is now considered one of the best in the Southeast. Numbering close to 6,000 works, the collection represents all major art movements from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. The Museum serves a broad audience of nearly 30,000 visitors annually, including the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) students, faculty and staff; the Triad communities; and visitors from across the state, region, and nation; and an additional 24,000 students who take art history classes in the building.

Extent

5.00 Linear Feet (19 Boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Weatherspoon Art Museum was created in 1942 and is named after founding President Charles Duncan McIver's sister and the first art teacher at the college Mrs. Elizabeth McIver Weatherspoon. It is home to a vast collection of modern and contemporary American pieces of art.

The records of the Office of Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum contain announcements, annual reports, books, brochures, catalogs, correspondence, flyers, newsletters, pamphlets, and an archive of the department's website which document the activities of the Museum from 1942-2015.

Arrangement Note

The arrangement scheme for this collection was imposed during processing in the absence of a useable original order. This collection is arranged into three series with Series 1 and 2 organized in alphabetical order while Series 3 is in chronological order. Series 1: General Files, 1949-2015 Series 2: Catalogs, 1942-2007 Series 3: Annual Reports, 1988-2003 Series 4: Unprocessed Materials

Method of Acquisition

Periodically transferred from the Office of the Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum.

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.