About Francis Henry Taylor
Lived 1903 – 1957 (aged 53–54). Francis Henry Taylor was an American curator, historian and art historian.
Francis Henry Taylor (1903–1957) was a distinguished American museum director and curator, who served as the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for fifteen years.
Biography He was born in Philadelphia, and started his career as a curator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 1931 he became director of the Worcester Art Museum Massachusetts, before joining the Metropolitan Museum in New York City as its director in 1940.
Taylor was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1939 and the American Philosophical Society in 1946.
Sometimes described as a showman, he developed a theory of the museum as an institution of active public service, not simply a repository of art. He was credited with doubling the number of people visiting the museum, up to 2.3 million a year.
Death Taylor died at the Memorial Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts on November 23, 1957.
Books His writings include: Babel's Tower: The Dilemma of the Modern Museum (1945) The Taste of Angels: A History of Art Collecting from Rameses to Napoleon (1948, reprint 1955) - Fifty Centuries of Art (1954) Pierpont Morgan as Collector and Patron, 1837-1913 (1957), Pierpont Morgan Library -
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Francis Henry Taylor?
American curator, museum director (1903-1957)
When was Francis Henry Taylor born?
Francis Henry Taylor was born in 1903 in Philadelphia.
When did Francis Henry Taylor die?
Francis Henry Taylor died on 22 November 1957.
What was Francis Henry Taylor's occupation?
Francis Henry Taylor was a curator, historian and art historian.
What nationality was Francis Henry Taylor?
Francis Henry Taylor was American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Francis Henry Taylor
· DBpedia: Francis Henry Taylor
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Francis Henry Taylor. https://biography.guide/francis-henry-taylor/
MLA: "Francis Henry Taylor." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/francis-henry-taylor/.
Chicago: "Francis Henry Taylor." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/francis-henry-taylor/.
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