As we wrap up 2025, we’re taking a moment to look back at how you—our researchers, students, and curious visitors—interacted with the Academy’s collections over the past year.
These patterns are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet; they offer a window into our community’s evolving needs and help us map out our future. It’s important to note that these figures focus specifically on research and resource requests—things like deep dives into our archives, library services, and access to works of art not currently on public display.
2025: A Year of Purposeful Research
In 2024, the Academy recorded 923 total research requests. As of mid-December 2025, that number stands at 892. While this is a slight 3.4% dip, the story behind the data is one of resilience.
This minor decrease was expected as the Academy transitioned away from degree-granting programs, leading to a smaller student population this fall. However, demand remains remarkably robust.
The Breakdown of Requests:
- External Requests (63%): 562 inquiries came from the research community.
- Internal Requests (37%): 330 inquiries supported our faculty, staff, and students.
The Digital Frontier: Global Reach, Human Connection
While our physical halls have seen shifts, our digital presence is exploding. The Academy’s Digital Archives recorded over 100,000 unique human visitors this year!
A standout star of our digital offerings remains the Rediscovering John Rhoden Digital Archives, which drew over 3,100 unique visitors. We are honored to continue stewarding Rhoden’s incredible legacy for a global audience.
New to the Digital Collection this year:
We’ve added 2,475 new items across three collections:
- PAFA Course Catalogs: A journey through our institutional history.
- Blanche Dillaye Drawings: Exquisite works now available to all.
- Chester Springs Student Registration Cards: A treasure trove for genealogists and historians.
A “New Normal” for In-Person Visits
How you visit us is changing. While email remains the primary way researchers start their journey, we’ve seen a “hybrid” rhythm emerge.
- The Archives are Booming: In-person use of the Archives surged by 122% (111 visitors).
- The “Walk-In” Surprise: We saw an unexpected rise in walk-in service, largely driven by our new cohort of certificate students seeking hands-on support.
- A Shift in Scale: Total in-person interactions dropped from 885 to 428. This 52% decline was anticipated following the school’s transition, but it has paved the way for more focused, scholarly engagement.
Top 3 Reasons People Use the Archives:
- Academic Research
- Curatorial Research
- Provenance Research
What These Shifts Mean for Our Future
The data tells us three important things:
- Demand is High: Projects like the “A Nation of Artists“ exhibition and our upcoming 220th Anniversary celebrations continue to drive intense interest in our holdings.
- Archives are Essential: The massive jump in archival research proves there is a deep hunger for primary-source materials.
- Intentionality Wins: Visitors are coming to us with more specific, deep-seated goals. Our digital archives are serving as a gateway, allowing researchers to do their “homework” online before arriving for a high-impact physical visit.
Looking Ahead
These insights are vital. They allow us to plan responsibly—ensuring we balance broad digital access with the specialized, high-touch care required for on-site research.
Whether you reached out via email, spent hours in the reading room, or browsed our catalogs from across the ocean: Thank you. Your curiosity is what brings these collections to life. We can’t wait to see what you discover in 2026!
