Taylor, Francis Henry, 1903–57, American museum director, b. Philadelphia, studied throughout Europe. He began his museum career as assistant curator (1927–28) and then curator of medieval art (1928–31) of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As director of the Worcester (Mass.) Art Museum (1931–40; 1955–57) he did much to stimulate public interest in the museum. As director of the Metropolitan Museum (1940–55) he developed his theory of the museum as an institution of active public service, not simply a repository of art. His writings include Babel's Tower (1945); The Taste of Angels (1948), a history of art collecting; Fifty Centuries of Art (1954); and Pierpont Morgan as Collector and Patron (1957).
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