The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has elevated Amy Homma to director and president of both the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the Academy Collection, bringing together for the first time all collections, conservation, preservation, exhibitions, and screening components under unified leadership. The organization also announced significant new acquisitions to its 52 million item collection, the world’s largest film related archive.
Homma’s expanded role marks a strategic organizational shift aimed at better integrating the Academy’s preservation and museum efforts. She will work directly with Matt Severson, executive vice president of the Academy Collection and Preservation, along with teams at the Academy Film Archive and Margaret Herrick Library. This represents the first time these historically separate units will operate under coordinated leadership.
The Academy’s CEO, Bill Kramer, described the preservation of global film history as a core focus of the organization. He praised the numerous exciting items being added to the ever growing collection, which serves as an important tool for research, scholarship, exhibitions, and programs. Kramer emphasized that bringing collections and museum teams together represents a logical evolution of the Academy’s preservation and conservation work.
Homma has served as the Academy Museum’s director and president since being appointed in May 2024, succeeding film scholar and Turner Classic Movies host Jacqueline Stewart. She previously held the role of chief audience officer and before that served as vice president of education and public engagement. Her background includes leadership positions at the Smithsonian Institution, where she worked as acting deputy director of the Arts and Industries Building and director of digital learning at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
In her statement, Homma noted that with the library, archive, and museum, the Academy represents the world’s premier place to celebrate, preserve, and learn about cinematic history. She expressed honor at working with incredibly talented teams and, alongside Severson, uniting them under one common vision to bring valuable resources to the global community.
Severson stated that the alignment of institution wide preservation efforts and the Academy Collection will provide opportunities to make film history more accessible to the next generation of filmmakers. The structural change aims to streamline operations and expand the reach of the collection, which has grown continuously since the Academy began collecting and preserving film materials in 1927.
Among the most notable new acquisitions is the screen used hero bicycle from Pee wee’s Big Adventure, the 1985 Tim Burton directed comedy that launched both the director’s career and solidified Paul Reubens’ iconic character. The bicycle, gifted by Reubens before his death in 2023, represents one of cinema’s most recognizable props. The film’s plot centered entirely on Pee wee’s quest to recover his stolen bicycle, making the prop central to the movie’s identity.
The Academy also acquired a significant collection of rare scripts and correspondence belonging to Orson Welles from collector James Pepper. The collection includes a Citizen Kane script and wrap party invitation, as well as Touch of Evil scripts annotated by Welles himself. These materials provide invaluable insights into the creative process of one of cinema’s most influential directors.
Behind the scenes photographs from the set of Jaws have been added through a donation from the estate of production boom operator Frank Meadows. The collection includes over 70 never before seen Kodachrome slides documenting the production of Steven Spielberg’s 1975 thriller. Such materials offer researchers and film enthusiasts rare glimpses into the making of one of cinema’s most iconic films.
Filmmaker Arthur Dong donated his personal collection of more than 1,500 items focused on Chinese representation and filmmakers in Hollywood. The collection includes posters, stills, lobby cards, scripts, periodicals, press books, programs, and vinyl records examining how Chinese people have been portrayed in Hollywood and documenting the creative contributions of Chinese Americans to cinema.
The Academy Collection received the couture gown worn by Cicely Tyson to the 91st Oscars ceremony, along with the sketch illustration by designer B Michael. Personal collections containing scripts, correspondence, storyboards, photographs, and production materials have been donated from filmmaker Allison Anders, film executive Sherry Lansing, documentary filmmaker Freida Lee Mock, and several other industry figures.
Costume acquisitions include a design by Charles Lemaire worn by Katharine Hepburn as Bunny Watson in Desk Set, a costume designed by Mark Bridges worn by Heather Graham as Rollergirl in Boogie Nights, and tap shoes worn by James Cagney as George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. The collection also added life casts of Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, and Al Pacino, as well as an ARRI camera used by documentary pioneer Robert J. Flaherty.
The Academy Collection has also incorporated the Kobal Foundation Collection of Photograph Negatives, comprising approximately 20,000 original negatives. These include portraits and behind the scenes images by some of Hollywood’s greatest photographers, featuring stars such as Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor. The core reference collection expanded with more than 600 books, 2,600 magazines, and 2,200 posters from 46 countries.
New Oscar statuettes added to the collection include John Alcott’s Oscar for Cinematography for Barry Lyndon. The Academy Film Archive has added over 1,000 audio and visual elements this past year, including casting sessions from casting director Richard Hicks featuring actors Zac Efron, Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Lawrence, and Saoirse Ronan.
Through its preservation efforts, the Academy Film Archive has completed over 30 new film prints and digital 4K restorations, including Mysterious Skin, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Saint Joan. All three had their West Coast premiere screenings at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures following restoration.
The Academy’s collection remains a valuable resource for research, exhibitions, and cultural exchange worldwide. In the past year, the Margaret Herrick Library supported 30 exhibitions, including six at the Academy Museum, providing more than 400 items. Additionally, 779 objects from the collection were loaned to institutions across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. The Academy Film Archive loaned films for over 300 screenings at cinematheques and festivals in 20 countries.
The public can access components of the Academy Collection through exhibitions, public programming, and film screenings at the Academy Museum, the Margaret Herrick Library reading room, the Academy Film Archive public access center, and online at academycollection.org. These efforts underscore the Academy’s commitment to preserving global film heritage and promoting public access to the cinematic arts on an international scale.
The Academy’s unparalleled collection contains items reflecting all components of the moviemaking process, including costumes, photographs, scripts, posters, production art, sound recordings, books, film and video assets, props, cameras, projectors, clippings, makeup and hairstyling tools, visual effects technologies, and promotional materials. Through its conservation program and dedication to high quality collections care, the Academy ensures the integrity, longevity, and accessibility of these valuable cultural artifacts for generations to come.
