At the Worcester Art Museum, we strive to develop a collection that bolsters our institution’s mission: connecting people, communities, and cultures through the experience of art. As an institution established with an encyclopedic vision to house a premier art collection from around the globe and across time, we have sought out exceptional objects that assert the enduring creativity and skill of humanity. To this end, we continue to expand the diversity of our holdings in terms of geographic and historic origins, media, cultural background, and identity of the artist. We are particularly interested in acquiring art that reveals the intersections between cultures and the productive innovation that arises from cross-cultural communication, interaction, and encounter. The documents that establish the Worcester Art Museum assert that it is for the benefit of all. In this legacy, we acknowledge that the objects we acquire are added to the collection for the enhanced experience and access of all visitors and are thus always intended for at least periodic display.
We commit to ethical collecting and acknowledge the importance of carefully considering the provenance of all potential acquisitions. The Worcester Art Museum will not knowingly acquire any work of art that has been stolen or unlawfully removed from its country of origin in violation of that country’s patrimony laws. We steward the rich collection created by our predecessors, ensure for its safety and longevity, and seek to develop and care for it in ways that ensure its relevance to current and future audiences and in fulfillment of our mission. As we continue to grow our collection, we build on the nascent value of diversity and investment in quality instilled in the Museum at its founding in the 19th century, while embracing evolving scholarship in art history and new best practices in the museum profession.
