Considered a “classic American museum,” the Worcester Art Museum has built a 37,000-piece collection that spans over fifty centuries. The Museum was founded in 1896 by Stephen Salisbury III and 50 prominent citizens of Worcester and opened to the public in 1898. The original collection consisted mainly of works on loan, along with plaster casts of famous ancient and Renaissance sculpture.

In 1905, the wealthy Stephen Salisbury died, leaving his extensive collection of mostly American art to the Museum. He also bequeathed $3 million to the institution, allowing it to aggressively collect art in the subsequent decades. It was through a number of significant gifts and purchases that the collection of the Museum today was formed. From the time of the first director, Philip J. Gentner, to the current Director Matthias Waschek, the Worcester Art Museum has been committed to acquiring works from all time periods and places.