Global in scope, the collection reflects the influence of the School and Philadelphia on design worldwide.
The Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania holds work by over 400 designers, spanning from the 17th century to today. Through collection tours, exhibitions, and public programs, the Archives brings architectural, landscape, and planning ideas to life—enhancing student learning and fostering broader cultural dialogue. Visitors are encouraged to engage with original drawings, models, artifacts, and stories to enrich their research and education.
Donor support helps grow the collection, expand student engagement, increase access both in-person and digitally, and present groundbreaking exhibitions and programs to the University and the public.
The Archives advances Weitzman’s educational mission through table-top collection tours and site visits to significant buildings and landscapes in the Philadelphia region, in collaboration with Penn faculty and beyond. Its impact has grown six-fold over twenty years—from nineteen events reaching 430 people in Academic Year 2006 to over 125 events reaching nearly 3,000 people in Academic Year 2025.
Organized by Weitzman faculty in 2019, Design with Nature Now reimagines landscape architecture and urban planning for the 21st century, building on Ian McHarg’s 1969 landmark work Design with Nature. The ambitious program included exhibitions, events, and a publication highlighting renowned landscape architects and planners showcasing leading ecological design work worldwide. Translated into simplified and traditional Chinese, the publication accompanied international exhibitions in Nanjing and Taipei in 2024, which were overseen by Archives Director and Chief Curator William Whitaker.
The Archives also facilitated loans for exhibitions in Qatar, Japan, and Poland—highlighting figures such as Louis Kahn and Stanislawa Nowicki—and is contributing to a major Denise Scott Brown retrospective opening in Bilbao in March 2026.
Recent acquisitions include the papers of Denise Scott Brown (1950s – present), featuring her 35mm slides, teaching materials from her Penn years, and personal correspondence. The Archives also secured the photographic archives of George Pohl, official photographer for the School of Fine Arts in the 1960s, and the professional records of preservation architect Marianna Thomas, noted for her work on Penn’s campus. Other highlights include drawings for Paul Cret’s Rodin Museum, materials related to Violet Oakley’s studios, and the first large transfer of records related to the Olin Partnership (1976 – 1996).
Expanding collection holdings enriches the material “tools” available to students and scholars, and it builds public appreciation for the role of design in enhancing life by giving a window into the design process. Maintaining the current collection through conservation practices and expanding storage facilities ensures that future generations can learn from the past.
Expanding access to the collection through endowed curatorial staffing, digital access platforms, and technology, as well as developing new exhibition and programming opportunities supports the teaching and educational mission of the School.
Endowing the Directorship position at the Archives ensures dynamic leadership and boosts the vibrancy and productivity of this vital center of knowledge.
Our guiding principle is that we have an amazing collection; we should be innovative and expansive in its use for the benefit of our students.