Friends of the Susquehanna River Art Collection

A nonprofit organization

Fundraise

The Susquehanna has played a key role in influencing and inspiring some of the first truly

American artists, writers and poets. Although no formal Susquehanna School of painters has

ever been defined, the Susquehanna River Art Collection shows that such an influential school

has taken shape over the last several centuries and continues to this day.

The Susquehanna River Art Collection chronicles the unfolding of American history along the

Susquehanna's shores, from first contact with Native populations in the early 17th century to the

construction of dams and power plants nearly 400 years later. The collection also shows how artists

shared their art to a broad public via commercial partnerships, using the most current printing

technologies available, helping make the Susquehanna one of the most popular and well-known

rivers worldwide.

Spanning over four centuries and featuring more than 100 works including paintings, drawings,

engravings, lithographs, etchings, books, maps ceramics and vintage printing plates and tools,

the Susquehanna River Art Collection provides a rare and extraordinary portrait of this important

river in American history.

The collection establishes the Susquehanna's rightful place in American art history, as a vital

and formative influence on what would become the nation's first truly American school of

landscape painting.

Mission

In May 2025, The Friends of the Susquehanna River Art Collection was formed as a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization with the vision of acquiring the existing core artworks of the Susquehanna River Art Collection and to expanding and care for the collection until a new, purpose-built museum is established.

Acquiring artwork spanning over four centuries, which includes over 100 paintings, drawings, etchings, engravings, lithographs, illustrated books, maps and decorated china. The collection chronicles the unfolding of American history along the Susquehanna's shores, from first contact with Native populations in the early 17th century all the way to the construction of dams and power plants nearly 400 years later.