FACT SHEET
HISTORY:
The Cape Ann Museum was founded in 1873 as the Cape Ann Scientific and Literary Association to serve as the
primary repository for Cape Ann’s art and cultural history. Major collections include fine art paintings, sculpture,
and photography; maritime and fishing artifacts; textiles and furniture; granite quarrying industry history; and local
history. More than 20,000 local, national, and international visitors come to the museum each year. More than 9,000
adults, children, and families attend the museum’s extensive program offerings annually. Rotating exhibits are part
of the museum’s appeal. Spanning 44,000 square feet, the museum is a major cultural institution on Boston’s North
Shore. Two historic homes: The White-Ellery House (1710) and the Captain Elias Davis House (1804) as well as two
sculpture parks in the heart of Gloucester’s Downtown on Pleasant Street complete its attractions.
RECENT CAPITAL CAMPAIGN:
Completion of a $5 million capital campaign is allowing the museum to add and redesign galleries, make essential
infrastructure improvements—new lighting, heating, and ventilation, and raise its endowment. Also in development
is the Fitz Henry Lane Catalogue Raisonné Project, a complete online catalogue that will allow visitors to explore all
of Lane’s art from the Museum and other sites throughout the world alongside scholarship on these works.
MAJOR FINE ART COLLECTIONS:
Cape Ann Museum has the world’s largest collection of art by Luminist marine painter Fitz Henry Lane, a leading
19th century artist and Gloucester native, including more than 40 oil paintings and 100 drawings. The museum’s
core collection also includes extensive holdings of works by 19th and 20th century artists who lived on or visited
Cape Ann or who were inspired by the area including: Winslow Homer, Cecilia Beaux, Maurice Prendergast, John
Sloan, Stuart Davis, Marsden Hartley, Nell Blaine, Frank Duveneck, and Milton Avery. Renowned American
sculptures in the collection were created by: Walker Hancock, Paul Manship, Charles Grafly, Anna Hyatt Huntington,
and Katherine Lane Weems. Contemporary artists are also included in the collection.
MAJOR TEXTILE AND DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTION:
The museum houses the largest collection of American textiles by the Folly Cove Designers, a Cape Ann area guild of
designer-craftswomen, organized by author and illustrator Virginia Lee Burton. The group printed whimsical
patterns on fabric with carved linoleum blocks from 1941-1970. The exhibit includes: their original Acorn press,
printed textiles, and items made from their fabrics. On display in the Captain Elias Davis House and throughout the
galleries, the furniture and decorative arts collection conveys a sense of what life was like on Cape Ann. Examples of
the superb craftsmanship found here include: Chippendale sideboards, Sheraton worktable, Paul Revere silver
christening basins and beakers.
MARITIME AND QUARRY INDUSTRY HISTORY:
Art and artifacts in the collection explore America’s early industries—fishing, boatbuilding and related trades and
commerce—in its oldest seaport. An original Fresnel lens that guided seafarers to safety for nearly 120 years
anchors the collection along with three intact historic vessels and detailed 19th century ship models. The history of
Cape Ann’s granite quarrying industry is explored through samples of local granite, tools, equipment, personal
effects, documents, photographs, paintings, and sculpture related quarrying.
LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES:
With more than 100,000 images of people, places, and things related to Cape Ann from the 1840s to the present, the
museum is a vital resource for researchers and archivists with an extensive collection of locally relevant letters,
memoirs and diaries, financial papers and account books logbooks and vessel manifests, military rolls, orders and
awards, and other memorabilia
MEDIA CONTACT: Diana Brown McCloy, 978-697-9414; Diana@teakmedia.com