Hours and Access
The collection is open by advance appointment only, Monday through Friday, excluding all U.S. Federal holidays. Please contact us for an appointment at least two weeks before your scheduled arrival at PaikArchive@si.edu or (202) 633-8366.
The core collection of the collection came to the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2009 as a gift from the Nam June Paik Estate. Additional items from private collections have since been acquired (and are welcomed) to augment and complement the original holdings.
The Nam June Paik Archive Collection is comprised of two interrelated bodies of material:
- The Paik Papers
The Paik Papers are currently housed within the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Research and Scholars Center offices, which are located about one block north of the museum, at 750 Ninth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. For a detailed guide to their contents, please see the Guide to the Nam June Paik Papers (Inventory/Finding Aid). The nearest Metreo subway stop is at Gallery Place, which serves the red, yellow and green lines. - The Paik Objects
The Paik Objects are located at American Art’s offsite facility in Largo, Maryland, approximately 14 miles from the museum. The closest Metro subway stop is Largo Town Center, on the blue and orange lines, or driving directions can be provided upon request.
At both locations, visitors are accepted by advance appointment ONLY Monday through Friday, excluding all U.S. Federal holidays. Please contact us to establish the details of your visit.
- We strongly encourage all patrons, particularly those visiting from out-of-town, to contact us for an appointment at least two weeks before arrival. It is important to note that at each location we can only accommodate 1 to 3 researchers at a time.
- All materials are non-circulating and must be used on site; materials are housed in closed stacks and will be delivered by staff to the work area designated for your use.
- All patrons must register and show a current photo ID (college/university, driver’s license, passport, etc.) on arrival.
- Each patron will be given a brief orientation about using the resources and best practices for handling or examining archival materials.
- Due to the heavy volume of inquiries, we reserve the right to limit the length and number of visits per researcher to ensure multiple patrons may be served.
Contact Us
To make an appointment or to send a query about our holdings, please contact us via post, email or telephone at:
Paik Archive Collection
Research and Scholars Center
Smithsonian American Art Museum
PO Box 37012, MRC 970
Washington, DC 20013-7012
PaikArchive@si.edu
(202) 633-8366