The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden announced 314 new acquisitions in 2025, its 50th anniversary year. The additions span photography, mixed-media works, and contemporary American artists, including pieces by Lorna Simpson, Sarah Sze, Mickalene Thomas, Danny Lyon, Graciela Iturbide, Adam Pendleton, and Mark Bradford. Major gifts include a multi-year donation from collectors Doug and Toni Gordon of 176 works forming an archive of Pendleton's works on paper, as well as 13 contemporary Chinese works tied to a 2022 exhibition. The museum also acquired nine architectural photographs by Ezra Stoller documenting its 1974 opening and 19 prints by Joel-Peter Witkin.
The acquisitions reflect a deliberate curatorial strategy to deepen the Hirshhorn's holdings in photography and mixed-media practices while capitalizing on anniversary momentum to secure major gifts from artists and longtime supporters. The expansion underscores the museum's commitment to defining American visual culture and building on recent exhibition histories, such as the 2022 show "A Window Suddenly Opens." With holdings now exceeding 13,000 works, the Hirshhorn positions itself for continued relevance as it prepares to reopen its sculpture garden next year.