Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Announces New Acquisitions
- Details
- Category: Entertainment News
- Published on Tuesday, 13 January 2026 18:05
- Written by Academy Awards
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the newest acquisitions to its expansive Academy Collection, the largest film-related collection in the world, comprising more than 52 million items of film-related objects and materials.
The Academy also announced today that its collections and museum work will now be more organizationally linked via the elevation of Amy Homma to the new role of Director and President, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Academy Collection. Homma will work directly with Executive Vice President, Academy Collection and Preservation, Matt Severson, and the teams at the Academy Film Archive and Margaret Herrick Library.
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"The preservation of our global film history is a core focus of the Academy, and we are honored to add so many exciting items to our ever-growing Academy Collection. The collection serves as an important tool for research, scholarship, exhibitions, and programs," said Academy CEO Bill Kramer. "Bringing our collections and museum teams together is a logical evolution of our preservation and conservation work. Amy Homma is a fantastic leader who, along with Matt Severson and his stellar collections teams, will greatly expand the reach of our Academy Collection—just as she has done with the Academy Museum."
"With our library, archive, and museum, the Academy is the world's premier place to celebrate, preserve and learn about our cinematic history," said Amy Homma, Director and President of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Academy Collection. "I am honored to work with each of these incredibly talented teams and, alongside Matt, unite them under one common vision to bring these valuable resources to our global community."
"Through this alignment of our institution-wide preservation efforts and of the Academy Collection, we will have the opportunity to make film history more accessible to the next generation of filmmakers," said Matt Severson, Executive Vice President, Academy Collection and Preservation. "I am so excited to welcome Amy and to strategically work to move this critical work forward."
Recent acquisitions in the Academy Collection include Paul Reubens' screen-used hero bicycle from Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985); a collection of rare scripts and correspondence belonging to Orson Welles from collector James Pepper, including a Citizen Kane (1941) script and wrap party invitation, and Touch of Evil (1958) scripts annotated by Welles; behind-the-scenes photographs from the set of Jaws (1975) from production boom operator Frank Meadows; filmmaker Arthur Dong's personal collection of film materials focused on Chinese representation and filmmakers in Hollywood; and the couture gown worn by Cicely Tyson during the 91st Oscars® with the sketch illustration by designer B Michael.
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Personal collections containing scripts, correspondence, storyboards, photographs, and production materials donated from filmmaker Allison Anders, film executive Sherry Lansing, set decorator Marvin March, photographer Mary Ellen Mark, producer Walter Mirisch, documentary filmmaker Freida Lee Mock, casting director Marcia Ross, and Steadicam operator Elizabeth Ziegler have also been added to the Academy Collection. The Academy Collection has also added the Kobal Foundation Collection of Photograph Negatives, which comprises approximately 20,000 original negatives, including portraits and behind-the-scenes images by some of Hollywood's greatest photographers. In addition, new acquisitions to the Academy's core reference collection include more than 600 books, 2,600 magazines, and 2,200 posters from 46 countries.
New costume, production, and technology object additions include a costume designed by Charles Lemaire worn by Katharine Hepburn as Bunny Watson in Desk Set (1957), a costume designed by Mark Bridges worn by Heather Graham as Rollergirl in Boogie Nights (1997), life casts of Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, and Al Pacino, as well as an ARRI camera used by documentary pioneer Robert J. Flaherty. New Oscar® statuettes include John Alcott's Oscar for Cinematography for Barry Lyndon (1975), among others.
The Academy Film Archive has added over 1,000 audio and visual elements to its holdings this past year. New items include casting sessions from casting director and Academy governor Richard Hicks, featuring such notable actors as Zac Efron, Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Lawrence, and Saoirse Ronan; a 35mm print of His Three Daughters (2024); and a newly created 35mm print from the original negative of 8 ½ (1963). Through its preservation efforts, the Academy Film Archive has added over 30 new film prints and digital 4K restorations to the collection, including Mysterious Skin (2004), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), and Saint Joan (1957), all of which had their West Coast premiere screenings at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
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The Academy's growing collection remains a valuable resource for research, exhibitions, and cultural exchange worldwide. In the last year, the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library supported 30 exhibitions, including six at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, providing more than 400 items to exhibitions, including Stories of Cinema, Color in Motion: Chromatic Explorations of Cinema, and Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema . Additionally, 779 objects from the collection were loaned to institutions across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. In the last year, the Academy Film Archive also loaned films from the Academy Collection for over 300 screenings at cinematheques and festivals in 20 countries, including over 100 screenings at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. These efforts underscore the Academy's commitment to preserving global film heritage and promoting public access to the cinematic arts on an international scale.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been collecting and preserving film and film-related material since 1927. Its unparalleled collection contains items reflecting all components of the moviemaking process—costumes, photographs, scripts, posters, production art, sound recordings, books, film and video assets, props, cameras, projectors, clippings, makeup and hairstyling tools, visual effects technologies, promotional materials, and more. Through its conservation program and dedication to high-quality collections care, the Academy ensures the integrity, longevity, and accessibility of these valuable cultural artifacts for generations to come.
The public can access components of the Academy Collection through:
- Exhibitions, public programming, and film screenings at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
- The Academy's Margaret Herrick Library reading room
- The Academy Film Archive public access center
- Online at academycollection.org
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A selected list of new collection items includes:
COSTUMES AND OSCARS® FASHION
- Couture gown worn by Cicely Tyson during the 2018 (91st) Oscars and illustration by celebrated Black American fashion designer B Michael; Gift of B Michael and Mark-Anthony Edwards
- Costume designed by Charles Lemaire worn by Katharine Hepburn as Bunny Watson in Desk Set (1957)
- Costume designed by Mark Bridges, worn by Heather Graham as Rollergirl in Boogie Nights (1997), and screen-used roller skates; Gift of Heather Graham
- Tap shoes worn by James Cagney as George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
PRODUCTION OBJECTS
- Bicycle from Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985); Gift of Paul Reubens
- Animatronic Freddy Krueger television and control box from A Nightmare on Elm Street III: Dream Warriors (1987)
- Xenomorph trophy skull prop from Predator 2 (1990); Gift of Kevin Hudson
- Life casts of Jane Alexander, Danny DeVito, Steve Martin, Paul Newman, Al Pacino, Brooke Shields, Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers; Gift of Michael Westmore
- Prosthetic makeup test bust of John Hurt as "John Merrick" from The Elephant Man (1980)
- Character study maquettes, hairpieces, and makeup appliances from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005); Gift of Howard Berger
TECHNOLOGY
- Life cast and registration mask for Tom Hanks used to create motion capture effects for The Polar Express (2004); Gift of Kevin Hudson
- ARRI camera used by documentary pioneer Robert J. Flaherty, c. 1940s
- Lumière Model A film projector, c. 1897
OSCAR® STATUETTES
- John Alcott's Oscar for Cinematography for Barry Lyndon (1975); Gift of Sue Alcott
- Ray Gilbert's Oscar for Music (Original Song) for "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" for Song of the South (1946); Gift of Janis Paige Trust
- Warren Newcombe's Oscar for Special Effects for Green Dolphin Street (1947); Gift of American Film Institute
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AUDIO AND VISUAL ELEMENTS
- Casting sessions videos featuring actors Zac Efron, Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Lawrence, and Saoirse Ronan; Gift of Richard Hicks
- His Three Daughters (2024) 35mm print; Gift of Azazel Jacobs
- A newly created 35mm print of 8 ½ (1963) from the original negative
- Completed visual effects shots, composite shots, and bake-off reels for Star Wars (1977), Die Hard (1988), Batman Returns (1992), and Big Trouble in Little China (1986) from Boss Films; Gift of Richard Edlund
ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS, DRAWINGS, SCRIPTS, AND PRODUCTION MATERIAL
- Collection of rare scripts and correspondence belonging to Orson Welles; Gift of James Pepper.
- Over 70 never-before-seen Kodachrome slides taken on the set of Jaws (1975) from sound boom operator Frank Meadows; Gift of William Meadows.
- Arthur Dong's personal collection of more than 1,500 items, including posters, stills, lobby cards, scripts, periodicals, press books, programs, and vinyl records examining how the Chinese have been portrayed in Hollywood and documenting the creative contributions of Chinese Americans to cinema; Gift of Arthur Dong.
- Scripts and production material from filmmaker Allison Anders for Mi Vida Loca (1993) and Gas Food Lodging (1992); Gift of Allison Anders.
- Personal scrapbook collection documenting the career of film executive and producer Sherry Lansing; Gift of Sherry Lansing.
- Over 3,500 photographic prints of on-set photography from films including Apocalypse Now (1979) and Fellini Satyricon (1969), as well as celebrity portraits taken by photographer Mary Ellen Mark; Gift of Martin Bell
- 20,000 original photograph negatives of portraits and behind-the-scenes images by some of Hollywood's greatest photographers (Clarence Sinclair Bull, George Hurrell, Ruth Harriet Louise) featuring stars such as Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor, assembled by film historian and author John Kobal.
- Scripts, photographs, and production material from set decorator Marvin March for Annie (1982) and Addams Family Values (1993); Gift of Marvin March.
- Scripts, production material, and business records from producer and former Academy President Walter Mirisch for Midway (1976), Same Time, Next Year (1978), and Fiddler on the Roof (1971); Gift of Larry Mirisch.
- Production material from documentary filmmaker Freida Lee Mock for Sing! (2001) and Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994); Gift of Freida Lee Mock.
- Casting production binders from casting director Marcia Ross for 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and Clueless (1995); Gift of Marcia Ross.
- Scripts and production material from pioneering Steadicam operator Elizabeth Ziegler for Ghost (1990) and Wayne's World (1992); Gift of Elizabeth Ziegler,
- Costume design drawings by Edith Head for Kim Novak in Vertigo (1958).
- Behind-the-scenes photographs by Ira M. Resnick from Badlands (1973); Gift of Ira M. Resnick.
- Photographs taken on the set of Opening Night (1977), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976), and various John Cassavetes plays taken by Joan Almond; Gift of Joan Almond Revocable Trust.
- Makeup continuity production notebook and cast Polaroids for Rocky (1976); Gift of Michael Westmore.
- Handwritten music score and sheet music for the recorded title song from High Noon (1952), "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin')" by Dimitri Tiomkin; Gift of Anne Kabler Robichaux.
- Scripts, photographs, and production material from producer Stanley R. Jaffe from Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and Fatal Attraction (1987); Gift of Melinda Jaffe.
- Behind-the-scenes photographic slides from Sergei Eisenstein's unproduced 1930s film ¡Que Viva Mexico!; Gift of Lauren Coodley.
- Scripts and production material from casting director Heidi Levitt for The Rock (1996) and Benny & Joon (1993); Gift of Heidi Levitt.
- Japanese poster for Aparajito (1956) directed by Satyajit Ray; Gift of Jahan Singh Bakshi.
- Scripts and production material from unit publicist Joan Eisenberg for Training Day (2001) and Scarface (1983); Gift of Joan Eisenberg.
- Scripts and production material from filmmaker Sandi Tan for Shirkers (2018); Gift of Sandi Tan.
- Scripts and production material from filmmaker W.D. Richter for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984); Gift of W.D. Richter.
- Scripts and production material for The Sessions (2012), including wardrobe continuity binders for principal cast; Gift of Judi Levine and Ben Lewin.
- Scripts, production material and concept art for Flow (2024); Gift of Gints Zilbalodis.
- Storyboards, photographs, and ephemera from director Jack Arnold for The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) and Revenge of the Creature (1955); Gift of Susan Arnold.
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ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's premier film organization and is home to a global membership of more than 11,000 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders. The Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films. The Academy does this by recognizing and celebrating the arts and sciences of moviemaking through renowned awards for cinematic achievement, including the Oscars®, the Governors Awards, and the Scientific and Technical Awards. The Academy's affiliated charitable organization, the Academy Foundation, serves a public benefit through its robust educational, preservation and cultural activities. This includes the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the world's largest global film museum, the Academy Collection, the largest film-related collection in the world, and talent development programs for emerging artists. Year-round, the Academy creates opportunities for all communities to engage with the film world.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES
The Academy Museum is the largest museum in the world devoted to global cinema and the arts, sciences, and artists of moviemaking. The museum advances the understanding, celebration, and preservation of cinema through inclusive and accessible exhibitions, screenings, programs, initiatives, and collections. Designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Renzo Piano, the museum's campus contains the restored and revitalized historic Saban Building—formerly known as the May Company building (1939)—and a soaring spherical addition. Together, these buildings contain 50,000 square feet of exhibition spaces, two state-of-the-art theaters, the Shirley Temple Education Studio, and beautiful public spaces that are free and open to the public. These include: The Walt Disney Company Piazza and the Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby, which houses the Spielberg Family Gallery, Academy Museum Store, and Fanny's restaurant and café. The Academy Museum is open six days a week from 10am to 6pm and is closed on Tuesdays and select holidays.
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ABOUT THE MARGARET HERRICK LIBRARY
The Margaret Herrick Library collection contains a vast range of motion picture production and history-related materials, including works on paper and still images covering the history of motion pictures in the United States and worldwide, encompassing photographs, scripts, posters, production art, and books. The library contains special collections of film icons such as Kathryn Bigelow, Anne V. Coates, William Friedkin, Katharine Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock, Eiko Ishioka, Hattie McDaniel, Gregory Nava, Gregory Peck and Vilmos Zsigmond. These special collections contain production files, personal correspondence, clippings, contracts, manuscripts, scrapbooks, storyboards and more. The library's collecting divisions work collaboratively to acquire, preserve, digitize and exhibit the broad range of materials entrusted to their care by generations of filmmakers and collectors.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY FILM ARCHIVE
Established in 1991 and dedicated to the preservation, restoration, documentation, exhibition and study of motion pictures, the Academy Film Archive is home to one of the most diverse and extensive motion picture collections in the world, including the personal collections of such filmmakers as Tacita Dean, Cecil B. DeMille, Jesse B'Franklin and Carl Franklin, Barbara Hammer, Alfred Hitchcock, James Wong Howe, Jim Jarmusch, Ellen Kuras, Nina Menkes, Gregory Nava, Satyajit Ray, Penelope Spheeris, George Stevens, Gus Van Sant and Fred Zinnemann. The Academy Film Archive holds all the Academy Award-winning films in the Best Picture category, all the Oscar-winning documentaries, many Oscar-nominated films in other categories, and more.
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