The Women Who Founded The MoMA

Learn about and celebrate the three women who founded the New York Museum of Modern Art.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City is one of the most iconic museums in the world, known for its wide collection of modern and contemporary art. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that the MoMA was founded by three visionary women: Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, Lillie P. Bliss, and Mary Quinn Sullivan. These women were passionate about modern art, and together, they transformed the art world in ways that still impact the community today.

The Founders:

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller was the wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr., one of the wealthiest men in America. She had a deep love for modern art and believed in its power to inspire and challenge people. Unlike many of her peers, who favored traditional European works, Abby was drawn to the new and experimental styles emerging in the early 20th century. She saw the potential for modern art to shake up the old ways of thinking and felt that America needed a museum dedicated to these new ideas. Abby had the financial resources to help bring her vision to life, but she knew she couldn't do it alone so she reached out to two friends who shared her passion for modern art!

Lillie P. Bliss came from a wealthy and cultured New York family, and she had a keen eye for modern art. Her personal collection included works by artists like Cézanne, Van Gogh, and Gauguin, artists who were considered radical and avant-garde at the time. Bliss was deeply committed to promoting these modern artists, many of whom struggled to find acceptance in traditional art circles. She had spent years collecting and studying modern art, and she brought this expertise to the MoMA. Her knowledge of the art world and her personal collection were critical to the museum’s early success. Without Bliss’s contributions, the MoMA might not have been able to acquire some of the groundbreaking works that helped establish its reputation.

Mary Quinn Sullivan was a trained art teacher with a passion for making art accessible to the public. She believed that modern art should be experienced and understood by everyone, not just the wealthy elite. As an educator, Sullivan brought a unique perspective to the founding of the MoMA. She envisioned a museum that wasn’t just a place to store and display art but a space where people could learn about new artistic movements and ideas. She was instrumental in organizing exhibitions and creating educational programs that helped demystify modern art. Her focus on education made the MoMA more than just a gallery; it became a cultural institution that invited people to engage with art in new and exciting ways.

Inventing the Modern: Untold Stories of the Women Who Shaped The Museum of Modern Art is the latest book that highlights the critical role of 14 women who helped build New York’s Museum of Modern Art in its earliest days. Edited by Ann Temkin and Romy Silver-Kohn, this book tells the stories of these trailblazers, including curators, directors, and patrons, who shaped the museum’s bold vision between 1929 and 1945. These women were instrumental in promoting modern art at a time when it was still a radical idea, defying the social norms of their era. Their contributions made MoMA a world-renowned cultural institution. This book offers a fresh perspective on how women influenced not just MoMA but the entire art world during a time of great change.

Abby, Lillie, and Mary’s work didn’t just shape the MoMA, they changed the course of modern art in America. By creating a space where contemporary artists could be celebrated, they helped legitimize modern art as a significant cultural force. The MoMA became a place where new ideas in art could thrive, and today, it houses some of the most important works of the 20th and 21st centuries.

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