Building Photography Collection

Collection

Identifier: PC-003

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Building Photography collection contains documentation of the interior and exterior of the museum facility, including construction and renovations of the facility and any former museum locations. The collection is arranged in five series: Previous Locations, Construction, Exterior, Interior and Damage Documentation.

The Previous Locations series has three subseries, with Fair Park (1936-1983) being the largest and covering exterior, interior and renovation photography. Photography of the Art Room at the Dallas Public Library (1903-1909) and the Textile and Fine Arts Building (1909-1928) are also represented in this series.

The Construction series contains photography documenting the construction of the New Museum in downtown's Dallas Arts District and includes documentation of the site prior to demolition and construction; construction of the Reves / Decorative Arts Wing; Hamon Expansion; and renovations of the Flora Street Ceremonial Entrance and the Auditorium and Center for Creative Connections renovations. This series also contains photography of major events directly related to the construction such as groundbreakings, topping out and opening events.

The Exterior series includes documentation of the exterior of the building, aerial photography of the building and museum site, and the public areas of the museum site: Ross Plaza and the Sculputure Garden. Photography of these pulbic areas includes artworks installed in those locations; Fleischner Courtyard is an art object, and photography of it is included in the Collection Documentation Photography collection.

The Interior series is divided into two subseries. The first is Building Spaces which documents interior public and back of house spaces that are not installed galleries. The second subseries, Gallery Installations, contains photography of permanent collection installations in the museum's galleries, arranged by floor.

The final series, Damage Documentation, contains photography recording major damage to the museum structure and grounds.

All photography on a physical media is included in the collection including photographic prints, negatives, contact prints, slides, and digital images on disk.

Dates

1903 - 2007

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for public research. Researchers must make an appointment to view this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Photography by non-DMA photographers may have separate copyright restrictions.

Extent

5.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement

The Building Photography collection is arranged in five series: Previous Locations, Construction, Exterior, Interior and Damage Documentation.

The Previous Locations series has three subseries arranged chronologically by the time period the museum was housed at that location. The bulk of material in this series relates to the Fair Park location which is grouped by exterior, interior and construction following a similar arrangement to the corresponding series for the 1717 N. Harwood St. location; interior spaces are arranged alphabetically and gallery installations are contained in the single alphabetical run.

The Construction series is arranged chronologically by building or major project. Within each building or project folders are arranged chonologically, followed by construction subjects arranged alphabetically, and finally related events arranged chronologically by date of the event.

The folders in the Exterior series are arranged by type of view (aerial, detail, part of the building) and generally chronologically. Folders for public exterior spaces are located after the building views.

The Interior series is arranged in two subseries. The first subseries is an alphabetical arrangement of public and back of house Building Spaces. The second subseries contains view of permanent collection Gallery Installations which are arranged by floor, department and chronologically within each grouping.

The fifth series, Damage Documentation is small and is arranged chronologically by date of damage.

If there is more than one photographic media for a subject, all photographic media are foldered together for ease of user access; media formats are noted for each program in the description.

Processing Information

The Building Photography collection is a combination of photographic documention that was already in the archives, slides transferred from the slide library, and digital photography on disk transferred from the Imaging department.

Additional description/notes were added for DACS compliance and ArchivesSpace local usage guidelines in 2021.