Appointed in June 2006, John W. Smith directs the world’s largest archive devoted to collecting, preserving and disseminating the rich documentary evidence of art in the United States.

Smith was formerly assistant director for collections, exhibitions and research at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh (2000-2006), where he oversaw all aspects of the permanent collection, organized exhibitions, raised money for the museum’s exhibitions and collections programs, and lectured and published books on various aspects of the museum’s collection.

As curator of archives and director of the Archives Research Center at The Andy Warhol Museum (1994-2000), Smith established the founding policies and guidelines of the center, raised funds to support the center’s goals and collaborated with colleges and universities to promote the center’s resources. He also served as interim director of the museum from 1995 to 1996.

In addition, Smith’s extensive archival experience includes serving as chief archivist at the Art Institute of Chicago (1990 to 1994), visiting archivist at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London (1991), and as founding curator of special collections and archives at the Chicago Park District (1988 to 1990).

Smith’s exhibitions and publications include "Strange Messenger: The Work of Patti Smith" (2002); "Andy Warhol: His Work, Ideas, and Process"(2003); "The American Supermarket" (2003); "Flowers Observed, Flowers Transformed" (2004); "Andy Warhol’s Time Capsules" (2004), a collaboration with the Museum for Modern Art in Frankfurt, Germany; "Seeing Double: Encounters with Warhol" (2005); "Andy Warhol: Artist of Modern Life" (September 2005-April 2006), the first major exhibition of Warhol’s work to travel to three major museum’s in Russia; and "Grayson Perry" (February-May 2006), the first U.S. museum exhibition of Great Britain’s prestigious 2003 Turner prize winner.

Smith received his bachelor’s degree in English from Southern Illinois University in 1980.