Our History

Few museums are devoted to simple ideas that live forever, like love and devotion.

In the early 1970s, interested individuals devoted to dogs met to discuss the possibility of a national museum of art and books focusing on man's best friend. In 1973, the Westminster Kennel Club Foundation conducted a survey to explore the level of support for such a project. While encouraged by the results, it was decided a broader level of support was needed. In 1979, the American Kennel Club Foundation was formed to help meet this need and by 1981, The Dog Museum of America had its first director, William Secord.

Frank T. Sabella forever holds the distinction of being the first contributor of art with his gift donation of several paintings including the charming oil on canvas of a long-haired terrier Bob painted by the well-known artist George Earl as well as a charming portrait of a Newfoundland by English artist Horatio Henry Couldery. Donations by other contributors followed with the museum's collection of art quickly growing. The exhibit Best of Friends: The Dog in Art opened at the AKC offices in the New York Life building at 51 Madison Avenue in September 1982.

With a rapidly growing collection of art and increasing interest by the fancy, it became apparent a permanent and larger space was necessary. In 1985, with the support of the museum's chairman Mrs. Robert V. Lindsay, and president Dorothy Welsh, the board voted to relocate the museum to the historic 1853 Jarville House in West St. Louis County, Missouri, where the newly named The Dog Museum would operate as its own entity. In an effort to ensure its future, a re-affiliation with the American Kennel Club took place in 1995 and the museum was re-named The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog. Gift donations of art continue to make this unique museum's collection one of the largest in the country.

Our Mission Statement

The AKC Museum of the Dog is dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition, and interpretation of the art, artifacts and literature of the dog for the purposes of education, historical perspective, aesthetic enjoyment and in order to enhance the appreciation for and knowledge of the significance of the dog and the human/canine relationship.