Collections

The museum holds the largest collection of international folk art in the world, numbering more than 160,000 objects from more than 100 countries. The core collection of 2,500 objects was donated by museum founder Florence Dibell Bartlett. Since that time, the collection has been shaped in large part by the generous support of individuals, most notably Alexander and Susan Girard, with their gift of 106,000 objects, and Lloyd Cotsen’s Neutrogena Collection, consisting of 2,600 exceptional textiles and objects. Our collection continues to grow according to the belief that through the traditional arts, we may illuminate human creativity and shape a humane world. Our online collection is a small, highlighted selection of the museum’s holdings with new object records uploaded frequently.