The New York Museum of Modern Art has acquired the archives of Diane Arbus, and has also purchased some of her more famous prints. For further info, see New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/arts/design/18muse.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin)

Doug- correction. It is not the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) but rather the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met, MMA). Two very different institutions.

Doug- correction. It is not the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) but rather the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met, MMA). Two very different institutions.

Yes, indeed. And a somewhat surprising acquisition for the very staid Metropolitan. I guess this is their way of answering the current thread here asking if photography is art. ;)

Sorry about the misquote. Guess its the eyes/mind see one thing but the mind thinks/types another. I haven't been to either museum, so just lump them together ;-) Does appear to be an unusual acquisition for a conservative art museum since Arbus is more of a modernist photographer.

Yes- I would have thought for sure it would have gone to MoMA or maybe the Whitney. Although, the MMA has been making a great effort to improve their photographic holdings and to showcase a wide breadth of photographic materials and subjects in recent years. The NGA in Washington DC is also starting to do the same, but they're about a decade behind the MMA, despite having had a photo collection for a long time as well.

Sorry about the misquote. Guess its the eyes/mind see one thing but the mind thinks/types another. I haven't been to either museum, so just lump them together ;-) Does appear to be an unusual acquisition for a conservative art museum since Arbus is more of a modernist photographer.

Wouldn't you love to see here archives! I always had a lot of respect for her work and was very saddened by her death.

you can. most museums will allow you to see their archives if you make an appointment. You should go see them.