Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- This collection comprises press materials generated by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Press Information Office, documenting exhibitions, installations, film and music series, educational programming, and other institutional activities from 1951 to 1993.
- Extent:
- 3.58 Linear Feet (9 boxes)
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Description of item], Press Information Office press releases and other materials 1951-1993, Los Angeles County Museum of Art Balch Art Research Library, PRE.002.001.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection consists of 9 boxes (3.58 linear feet) of press releases and other materials generated by LACMA's Press Information Office between 1951 and 1993, documenting exhibitions, programming, institutional milestones, and public outreach. Highlights include materials on major exhibitions such as A Day in the Country: Impressionism and the French Landscape, co-sponsored with the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, Women Artists: 1550–1950, Treasures of Tutankhamun, and Two Centuries of Black American Art.
Additional records document initiatives such as accessibility tours, free admission days, as well as collaborations with NASA and JPL on conservation projects, including imaging analysis of Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Hammer. A notable institutional press release details LACMA's use of trained guard dogs, which drew international attention from Interpol. The collection also includes materials and schedules for various music and film series, and programming for the Art Rental Gallery.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) originated as the Art Division of the Los Angeles County Museum of Science, History, and Art, which opened in Exposition Park near downtown Los Angeles in 1913. In 1961, LACMA became an independent institution, establishing its dedicated campus on Wilshire Boulevard in 1965.
The museum's communications functions were initially managed by the Public Relations office, which operated through the 1950s. In the early 1960s, the department transitioned to the Public Information Office under the Public Services Division. This structure included distinct units such as Information, Publicity, Publications, and Education, as well as collaborative councils like the Museum Art Council and Costume Council.
In the 1980s, the department was renamed the Press Office and later rebranded as the Press Information Office in 1987, focusing on press and media communications. During this period, it operated under Museum Services. The Press Information Office remained active through 1993, the final year represented in this collection.
Following 1993, the department was restructured under External Affairs and communications functions were incorporated into the Office of Media and Public Affairs by 1995. By the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, the department became the Communications and Marketing Department.
- Processing information:
-
This collection was arranged, rehoused, described, and the finding aid created by Museum Archivist Intern Alicia Mara between September and November 2024.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection was originally organized into annual "Master File" folders, each labeled by year and containing tabs for various programming categories such as "Exhibitions," "Film Series," and "Music Series." These categories were converted into sub-series under a main series titled "Press Releases" to reflect the original structure while improving clarity. Each master file was renamed "[YEAR] Press Releases" to denote the year.
The Press Releases series was arranged chronologically across boxes, as the original folders were dispersed throughout the collection. Records within each year's folder retained their initial order, which was predominantly chronological. Exhibition files within each master file were kept in their original alphabetical arrangement by exhibition title, and only minor adjustments were made to correct slight misplacements within folders.
Two folders labeled for 1983 were found, one of which contained primarily 1982 press releases. To maintain chronological integrity, 1982 materials were merged into the 1982 folders, while 1983 items remained in the 1983 folder. Additional publicity materials not included in the master files were organized into a separate series "Additional Publicity Materials."
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment only through the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Balch Art Research Library. Telephone 323-857-6118 or email library@lacma.org. Some materials may be of a personal or private nature as determined by museum policy or the law and are not available for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Contact the Balch Research Library at 323-856-6118 or library@lacma.org for information on publishing or reproducing materials included in these records. Permission will be granted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as the owner of the physical materials, and does not imply permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all necessary permissions from the copyright holder.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Description of item], Press Information Office press releases and other materials 1951-1993, Los Angeles County Museum of Art Balch Art Research Library, PRE.002.001.
- Location of this collection:
-
5905 Wilshire Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90036, US
- Contact:
- (323) 857-6118