In 1929, Colonel Charles Clifton donated funds to have the recently abandoned Elmwood Avenue Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences building renovated for the Albright Art Gallery to use as classroom space for the School of Fine Arts of The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy (also known as the Albright Art School). The remodeled building was renamed Clifton Hall in his honor and opened for art classes.

Several artists with works in our collection were teachers at the Albright Art School, including Florence Julia Bach, Virginia Cuthbert, Seymour Drumlevitch, Philip Clarkson Elliott, and Isaac Soyer.

For more historical information, visit the Albright-Knox’s channel on Historypin.