The Canton Museum of Art, founded in 1935, is a broad-based community arts organization designed to encourage and promote the fine arts in Canton, Ohio. In its early days (1935–1945), the Museum served largely as an exhibition and meeting place for local artists; collecting was not a prime objective. A program from 1943 lists the museum’s eight objectives, with the Permanent Collection mentioned last: “To provide a permanent museum for the collecting and preservation of art objects.” Operating under this broad mandate, the Museum began to purchase work of local and regional artists. Many of these works were of Canton area landmarks or personalities documenting the cultural and historic heritage of the area. Gifts from local patrons and corporate benefactors from their personal art collecti