Penn Image #162272
The Penn Museum Archives is home to the archival collections of the directors of the museum. As you might guess, we have quite the fondness for them. None are more dear to me than George Byron Gordon and for one reason: that glorious, magnificent, noble mustache.
Director of the University of Pennsylvania Museum from 1910 until his death, Gordon joined the staff of the Museum in 1903 as Assistant Curator of the Section of General Ethnology. He oversaw the largest period of growth in the history of the Museum: three wings were added to the original 1899 Museum building, including the Harrison Rotunda, the Coxe Egyptian Wing, and the Administrative Wing. The collections saw a multifold increase, as well as the Museum’s involvement in the field. He organized many expeditions worldwide for the Museum. Gordon was the first to establish regular courses in Anthropology at the University. He also established The Museum Journal.