The New MFIT Online Collections are Now Live!

July 09, 2012

Last Thursday, after months of behind-the-scenes work, the Museum at FIT re-launched its newly-designed Online Collections. The revamped searchable database has over 875 images documenting 600 objects, more than twice as many objects as were previously available on the site. This amazing collaborative project has touched nearly every department in the museum, engaging personnel from conservation to education.

Users who are looking for something in particular can use the free-form search box to enter a particular word, such as "velvet" or use the advanced query tool to narrow their search. The MFIT Online Collections also provides a selection of pre-existing collections to help get people started engaging with the collection. For example, selecting the "Accessories" collection pulls up an assortment of some 60 bags, hats, shoes and jewelry.

600 objects may seem like a relatively modest number of objects. However, starting in September 2012, the museum plans to add approximately 50 more objects and images to the database every month. In addition, plans are in the works to add an exhibitions component. This will enable objects to be grouped together based on exhibitions in which they have been featured. It will also provide a platform for exhibition images to be made available.

We are delighted that people are aware of our efforts and would like to point you in the direction of these thoughts and reactions.

No fashion collection is comprehensive and The Museum at FIT is pleased to join a number of museums that present their fashion collections online -- such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the McCord Museum, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston -- in the hopes that students, researchers, designers and fashion-lovers find joy and inspiration from learning about fashion online.