Metro Creative Graphics has another reason to celebrate in 2010. In addition to marking its 100th anniversary, the company made history in a different way upon learning that its catalog of advertising art from 1937 had been accepted into the permanent collection of the Newseum in Washington, D.C. While the catalog does not include the oldest examples of Metro art — which date back to 1910, the year Metro was founded — the donation represents the first year for which the entire Metro catalog still exists. Known as the city’s most interactive museum, the Newseum is the destination for experiencing news and the history of news first-hand. With its seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces, and visitor services, the Newseum showcases all sides of the news — from how and why news is made to the media that have evolved for communicating it.

Carrie Christoffersen, Curator of Collections for the Newseum, notes that the addition of Metro’s historic advertising art will help to round out the museum’s collection of newspaper and news-related artifacts, memorabilia, and technology. “We have a very eclectic collection,” she explains, “starting with 250,000 or more photojournalism photos, 35,000 print news items, and 10,000 three-dimensional news-related objects. Through our collections, we trace how news has been conveyed from the dawn of printing to the modern day and, in particular, look at all of the different ways that newspapers have presented all elements of the news and other newspaper content. The addition of Metro’s advertising art is a great opportunity to add to our collection in an area that we are exploring and expanding.”

For Metro, the opportunity to contribute to the Newseum’s vast assemblage of news- and newspaper-related images would have been an honor at any juncture, but the invitation was particularly sweet because it occurred during the company’s commemoration of its 100th anniversary.

“Advertising has complemented the editorial side of the business and has always been a key to the success and survival of newspapers, so we are honored that Metro’s 1937 catalog is among the building blocks of the Newseum’s collection of advertising art,” says Metro President and CEO Robert Zimmerman. “And the timing couldn’t have been better since the Newseum’s invitation coincided with our celebration of Metro’s 100th year of our family-owned and -operated business.” Metro’s long history of innovation mirrors the evolution of the newspaper industry, which is chronicled in the Newseum’s collection and exhibits.

Debra Weiss, Metro’s Executive Vice President, notes that, “With the emergence of digital media and the Internet, our industry has been radically transformed. The Newseum does an incredible job of not only looking back at the news and the news industry, but of looking at where things stand today and where news coverage and newspapers are headed in the future. We look forward to working with the Newseum as it continues those efforts and expands its exploration of the critical role that advertising has played in the news industry.”

Headquartered in New York City, Metro Creative Graphics, Inc. is a family-owned and -operated business serving clients in all 50 states, throughout Canada, and in many foreign markets.