Scope and content:

Correspondence includes letters to and from Dr. William Alanson Bryan, who served as the Association's first Vice-President while serving as Director of the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art. Many letters are signed by Executive Secretary Halley Brewster.

Biographical / historical:

The Western Association of Art Museum Directors was formed in San Francisco in the summer of 1921 in an effort to coordinate traveling exhibitions across art institutions in the western United States. The first annual traveling exhibition (held 1922-23) was organized under the helm of President J. Nilsen Laurvik (Director, San Francisco Museum of Art), Vice-President Dr. William Alanson Bryan (Director, Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art), and Secretary-Treasurer Samuel J. Hume (Director, Greek Theatre, University of California). Institutional members of the Association during the first annual traveling exhibition included: Denver Art Association, Friends of Art of San Diego, Kansas City Art Institute, Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art, Oakland Art Gallery, Portland Art Association, San Francisco Museum of Art, School of American Research, Museum of New Mexico, and Seattle Fine Arts Society. According to the catalog of the third annual traveling exhibition organized by the Association (held 1924-25), the stated functions of the Association were "to further the interest of western art and artists by showing for comparative study in the various centers the best current work being produced west of the Mississippi, as well as to assist in bringing to the Pacific Coast eastern exhibitions of high standard."

Physical description:

Western Association of Art Museum Directors correspondence.

Separated material:

These records were separated from the general correspondence by the archivist.

Contents

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