Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.). Office of the Secretary.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 in New York City by a group of businessmen, financiers, artists and collectors. On April 13 of that year the New York State Legislature granted an Act of Incorporation "for the purpose of establishing and maintaining in said City a Museum and Library of Art, of encouraging and developing the Study of the Fine Arts, and the application of Art to manufacture and natural life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and to that end of furnishing popular instruction and recreations." Railroad executive John Taylor Johnston served as the institutions first President. Luigi Palma di Cesnola was appointed the first Director in 1879. The Office of the Secretary was established concurrently with the founding of the Museum, and is the central repository for official Trustee records, administrative correspondence and legal files of the Museums General Counsel. The Secretary is a member of the Museum staff who performs administrative duties under the general direction of the President or as may be assigned by the Chairman or Board of Trustees. The Secretary is responsible for coordinating and recording the proceedings of meetings the Board of Trustees and Trustee committees. The Secretary attends to official correspondence, has custody of and preserves the corporate seal and the archives, and oversees the legal affairs of the Museum. The following have served as Secretary of the Museum: William J. Hoppin (1874-1877), Luigi Palma di Cesnola (1877-1904), Robert W. DeForest (1904-1913), Henry W. Kent (1913-1940), George Lauder Greenway (1941-1942), Dudley T. Easby, Jr. (1945-1969), Ashton Hawkins (1969-1987), Linden Havemeyer Wise (1987-1992), Sharon H. Cott (1992-present).