Photographs by me.
The MIT Museum - Architecture Collection
All rights reserved.
(Please, do not copy or share those photographs).
February 6th, 2020
I was at the MIT Museum to begin my new research project at their
architecture collection! This is another exciting journey in architecture
history for me!
According to Rachael Robinson, Curatorial
Associate, Museum Reference at the MIT Museum (her e-mail on February 4th,
2020) “there is NO scholarly
research in their collection regarding to my current research project...
If we remember history of the Institute, its
architecture program and documentation practice on its own history…..
Established in 1861, the history of architecture
education at MIT goes back to 1868. William R. Ware, the Institute’s first
professor in architecture appointed in the fall of 1865; and the course in
architecture opened in October 1868. In 1932, the School of Architecture was
established as a part of the general academic reorganization of the Institute
proposed by Karl T. Compton, the MIT’s president. (1)
With this outstanding historical background, its
commitment to excellence in teaching, education, scientific research and learning,
MIT has been ranked the top university in the world in the QS World University
Rankings for 2019-2020. It was also the eight year in a row MIT has received
this distinction. Earlier that year, the Institute also placed second globally
and first in the region for architecture. (2).
Following my appointment with Gary Van Zante, the
curator of Architecture and Design collections at the MIT Museum on April 4th,
2019 (for my “second” research project), he kindly sent his written responses
to my research question: According to his e-mail, “the MIT Museum was
established in 1978, and architecture and design collection at MIT was
established in the late 1970s”.
References:
1. https://libraries.mit.edu/mithistory/research/schools-and-departments/school-of-architecture-and-planning/department-of-architecture/,
last accessed on 12.28.2019.
2. https://sap.mit.edu/news/qs-ranks-mit-world%E2%80%99s-no-1-university-2019-20,
last accessed on 12.28.2019.