While maintaining its leadership role in the study of Pre-Columbian art, the investigation of a wider range of social issues and processes has been explored in symposia. The subject matter may have broadened, but the program stays true to respecting the tastes and interests of its founders by serving as a place where the increasing number of social scientist archaeologists and humanist art historians can find common interests and discussions. Fewer than fifty scholars attended the first Pre-Columbian conference at Dumbarton Oaks, on the Olmecs. Now, the annual symposium sometimes reaches attendance figures of 200. In addition to symposia, two Public Lectures are held yearly, and at least one smaller conference also is held.
Growth presents opportunities, but also challenges.
The quantity of books entering the premises, yearly, has put a strain on facilities. The development of electronic media and communications provides new ways to record, store, and present information but are so new as to leave many issues uncertain, such as the longevity of files or web sites. It is involved in larger institutional plans for expanding our facilities. A large-scale digitization project is under way as is an archives program seeking photographs and documents from retiring senior scholars. So too, attempts to increase our interactions with Latin American colleagues is an important objective as we approach the beginning of our fourth decade.