Smith College as a Collecting Institution

Through the development of college and departmental collections across campus, Smith has put itself forward as an institution that places value on learning through direct engagement with real-life objects and materials. The mission statements of these collections are undeniably similar; these collections aim to steward materials to facilitate teaching, learning, and research through experimentation, discovery, and first-hand experiences. Smith has prioritized institutional collecting since its founding, developing a collection of art and creating a museum very early on in its history. 

The Smith College Special Collections and College Archives place a particular emphasis on their goals to preserve and provide access to materials surrounding women’s history, and the history of the College and its students with the goal of preserving and aiding in the creation of an institutional memory. As an institution which places so much emphasis on its relationship with its students and alumnae in conjunction with a desire to provide opportunities for firsthand experiences, the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection clearly fits within the College’s mission. 

Smith College Collections*

• The Botanic Garden of Smith College
• Smith College Museum of Art  
• Smith College Special Collections
• Smith College Libraries
• The Mortimer Rare Book Collection
• The Van Buren Antiquities Collection
• Smith College Archives
• Smith College Rocks and Minerals Collection

*This is not an exhaustive list of the collections held by Smith College.