Hood Museum of Art

The Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College is recognized as one of the most dynamic teaching museums in the country, serving both the academic community and the broader public with a collection that spans cultures, centuries, and artistic disciplines. Since its founding, the museum has embraced the role of art as a bridge for learning, reflection, and dialogue, continually expanding its holdings to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Photography has become one of the fastest-growing areas of the collection, thanks to both the generosity of Dartmouth alumni and the museum’s commitment to diversifying perspectives. The collection highlights modern masters such as Gary Winogrand, Stephen Shore, and Ralph Meatyard, while also embracing contemporary voices like Renée Cox, Carrie Mae Weems, and Malick Sidibé. The museum’s holdings reflect not only formal innovation but also the power of photography to document social issues, explore identity, and challenge assumptions.

Gifts of extraordinary scale and vision have further elevated the Hood’s photography collection. Over six hundred works by Sonia Landy Sheridan reveal the inventive use of early imaging technologies in the 1960s and 1970s, while a donation of nearly one thousand works by Russian photojournalist Dimitri Baltermants deepens the museum’s strength in documentary traditions. These are complemented by acquisitions addressing themes of race, displacement, and cultural memory, including works by Fazal Sheikh, Alfredo Jaar, and Lorna Simpson.

The museum’s commitment to non-Western and African artists underscores its mission to broaden narratives and offer inclusive perspectives on global art. By bringing together historical works, cutting-edge new media, and experimental approaches, the Hood Museum provides an unparalleled resource for learning and inspiration. It is a place where students, scholars, and visitors alike can engage deeply with art that reflects the complexity, diversity, and richness of human experience.