New York Historical Society celebrates the ‘Guggenheim Fellowship at 100’

A new exhibition at the New York Historical Society (NYHS) stretches along one of the museum’s entrance walls, showcasing archival documents from the Guggenheim Foundation’s 100-year fellowship program.

Long recognized as providing vital support for mid-career artists, scholars, and scientists, Guggenheim Fellowships have granted over $400 million to more than 19,000 fellows during the past century. The inaugural 1925 class included just 15 individuals, but the program has grown significantly and 175 artists received awards last year.

The foundation’s mission has remained unchanged since it was established by Colorado senator Simon Guggenheim and his wife, Olga, as a memorial to their son, John Simon. Hanna Pennington, the Guggenheim Foundation’s archivist and associate director, told th