National Academy of Design

The National Academy of Design has a simple yet powerful mission: “to promote American art and architecture through exhibition and instruction.” Founded in 1825 by a group of forward-thinking artists and architects who believed themselves to be the best agents for the advancement of the field, the Academy is an honor society of America’s top artists and architects—the National Academicians. Becoming a National Academician is a lifetime honor and one that cannot be applied for or solicited. New members are elected annually, totaling over 2,350 since our founding.

National Academicians serve as ambassadors for the arts in America. They show work in our exhibitions, foster the next generation through our educational programs, and, in keeping with an almost 200-year-old tradition, contribute a work to our collection. The Academy’s permanent collection of nearly 8,000 works—unlike any other in the United States, shaped by the National Academicians themselves—represents one of the nation’s most significant and unique holdings of American art and architecture.

Today, the National Academy of Design is in the midst of an exciting transformation—with the establishment of our first-ever permanent endowment, we are re-envisioning what an Academy can be in the 21st century.