These two oversized scrapbooks document the Centennial Exhibition, the event that led to the establishment of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Most of the clippings were published prior to the Centennial opening. The compiler of the scrapbooks is unknown.
Approximately half the pages of Scrapbook #1 are devoted to illustrated reports on the construction of the various pavilions, particularly the art gallery, later referred to as Memorial Hall. The remaining pages primarily contain clippings of newspapers from various areas in Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia, and from several states and a few foreign countries. Several ephemeral items are included, most of which are reprints of addresses given by state representatives to their fellow citizens.
Scrapbook #2 is primarily a pictorial record as most clippings are full-page captioned illustrations depicting the progress of the grounds preparation and a preview of the exotic peoples and objects to be represented in the various halls and displays. Included in the more than 230 pages of clippings are several two-page spreads that offer aerial views and other fantastic and detailed images. News stories feature visiting dignitaries as well as occasionally taking to task the federal government for its amount of monetary support. Most of the clippings were taken from a New York newspaper, the Daily Graphic, and Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper was the source for many of the oversized illustrations.