MIT's Permanent Collection holds more than 1,500 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and print media. In 1951, the Collection was formally inaugurated, with a gift of 26 paintings and drawings from the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. With no gallery for the permanent display of artworks on campus, the decision was made to exhibit the works throughout the campus, setting the precedent for the way the Collection is displayed today.
The List oversees permanent and public art collections across the Institute.
A Public Art Map and Audio Guide provide a self-guided tour of public art and architecture across the MIT campus, with an introduction to MIT’s public art collection by Leonard Nimoy, followed by commentary by artists, architects, scholars, and curators, focusing on 51 works of art and architecture.