SI Records
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 288, Cooper-Hewitt Museum. Friends of the Museum of the Cooper Union, Fundraising and Meeting Records
From its conception, the Cooper Union Museum was dependent on the Hewitt sisters and their friends for donations. After Sarah Hewitt's death in 1931, it was feared that public interest, especially that of sponsors, in a museum of decorative arts would decrease. In 1934, the Museum's Board of Directors and interested persons founded the Friends of the Museum of the Cooper Union. In addition to collecting dues from members, the Friends of the Museum solicitated annually for funds, and, from 1936, met annually for tea parties and lectures. The funds collected were used to purchase objects for the Museum, to pay costs for extra personnel and maintenance, and to encourage the study of decorative arts.
These records document the Friends of the Museum's annual appeals and annual meetings. Included is correspondence requesting donations; invitations to the meetings and exhibit openings; correspondence with guest speakers; receipt and expense reports; copies of speeches given at the annual meetings; and membership lists.
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.