These materials were then deeded to the organization that now bears his name soon after it was incorporated in 1947. The dimensions of The Kinsey Institute's collections of art and artifacts exemplify both the similarities and diversity of creative expression when humans produce images relating to sexuality. Objects from six continents, ranging in date from 3,200 B.C. to the present, are represented in these holdings. Paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture are categorized as either Fine or Naive Arts. Fine Arts are works by accomplished or academically trained artists or those by artists or artisans from known cultural groups.
Naive arts are works by children, prisoners, psychiatric patients, and other untrained artists.
In addition, there is a large collection of unique, gag, or joke objects, and tourist items, such as posters or trinkets that don't quite fit into the two former categories. These items comprise the Ephemera collection. Finally, the largest and most rapidly growing facet of the collections is Photography. These items represent a wide variety of historical and scientific interests. Selections from the Collections is the first formal exhibition based on the Institute's collections of art and artifacts.