To Encourage Outstanding Scholarship: The Collecting Legacy of Dr. Roger W. Moss
In 1968, Dr. Roger W. Moss was appointed Executive Director of a moribund 19th century subscription library. During his 40-year tenure on Washington Square, he restored and expanded The Athenaeum of Philadelphia building, secured its nomination as a National Historic Landmark, hired a professional staff and doubled its membership. Under his guidance, The Athenaeum attracted internationally significant collections documenting architecture, interior design and urban design, including architectural drawings, photographs, maps, prints, rare books, manuscripts and objects.
This exhibition, displaying highlights of Moss’s outstanding legacy of collecting, is part of the 2025 Roger W. Moss Symposium, Material Culture, Architecture and Preservation: The Work and Legacy of Dr. Roger W. Moss (1940-2025). It is curated by Bruce Laverty, former Gladys Brooks Curator of Architecture, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia.
