America's Collection

Virginia B. Hart is director and curator of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms and Bri Brophy is deputy chief curator. The Honorable John F. Kerry is U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and former U.S. Secretary of State. Allan Greenberg is an architect and author. Mark Alan Hewitt is an architect and architectural historian. Stacy Schiff is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning author. Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser is the Senior Curator for the 2026 Bicentennial at Frederic Chruch's home Olana and Curator Emerita of American Paintings and Sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen is the Anthony W. and Lulu C. Wang Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Alexandra Alevizatos Kirtley is the Montgomery-Garvan Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Elliot Bostwick Davis is Senior Editor, Harvard Social Impact Review, Arts and Culture and a former museum curator and director. Deborah Dependahl Waters is an independent decorative arts historian and part-time assistant professor at Parsons, New School University. David M. Rubenstein is a financier and philanthropist. Carolyn Vaughan is a writer and editor of art books and exhibition catalogues. Laaren Brown is a writer and editor for art and natural history topics. Durston Saylor is a photographer of contemporary interior design and architecture. Bruce M. White is a photographer of works of art and historic architecture. Sarah Gifford is an award-winning graphic designer.

"An opulent new book...relates how classical design was marshalled to communicate the Enlightenment principles that shaped a young country and continued to lend it authority on a global stage...The Franklin room was gasp-inducing." —The New York Times"The American past is vividly present on the seventh and eighth floors of Washington's Harry S. Truman Building." —The Wall Street Journal"Thomas Jefferson, first Secretary of State, understood that an object can have significance “from the part it has borne in our history and the events which it has been associated." The furniture, silver, ceramics, paintings, sculpture, prints, and architecture featured in America’s Collection are exemplars of Jefferson’s perceptive observation...this publication provides a visually beautiful and well-researched resource for individuals interested in our shared past, and our illimitable future." —Diane C. Ehrenpreis, Curator of Decorative Arts and Historic Interiors, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello“Standing outside the modern, minimalist exterior of the US State Department’s Harry S. Truman Building in the nation’s capital, it’s difficult to picture the ornate reception rooms on its seventh and eighth floors.” —CNN"A stunning new publication...Featuring an enviable collection of objects and insights, America's Collection is an excellent addition to a scholarly bookshelf and beautiful enough to grace any discerning collector’s coffee table." —The Decorative Arts Trust "Exceptional American art and artifacts that tell the story of the nation’s founding and represent the singular ideals of the American character." —Antiques and The Arts Weekly "...featuring contributions from luminaries including John Kerry, Pulitzer-Prize winning author Stacy Schiff, and Carlyle Group co-founder and Americana collector... David Rubenstein." —Bloomberg  "America’s Collection, with its sumptuous illustrations and generous design, offers a splendid visual tour of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State. The accompanying text provides meaningful insights into the significance of the rooms and their furnishings." —David L. Barquist, The H. Richard Dietrich, Jr., Curator of American Decorative Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art“This is a long overdue and comprehensive presentation of this nationally significant collection, making it accessible to a wider public audience.  It is a high-quality publication that beautifully presents the collection’s impressive artifacts with the attention they deserve.” —Thomas Luebke, Secretary, Commission of Fine Arts"All collections have a mission but these rooms mix purpose with patriotism: they are designed to tell the story of the nation." —Gagosian Quarterly"With all-new photography and essays, this book captures the history of the rooms and explores more than 150 examples of the extraordinary American art that animates the exquisite spaces." — Art Daily  “Is the book gorgeous? Do the various writers make you interested in whatever they are talking about? Both answers are a resounding yes. Goodreads 5 stars." —Brendan Dowd, History Nerds United  "Who knew that the austere and massive Truman Building at the Department of State contained such magnificent works of art? This beautiful volume describing and displaying these pieces is a work of art in its own right." —Gordon S. Wood, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Radicalism of the American Revolution and The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787"...a must have for everyone that loves America and its history." —Teresa Hatfield, author of Splendid Sass