Collection of historic photographs and negatives of the Yale Center for British Art

Constance “Cecie” Clement worked at the Yale Center for British Art (YCBA) from 1979 until her retirement in 2020. She began as the Assistant Director for Publications and Information under the tenure of Edmund (Ted) Pillsbury and served under five directors and two acting directors. On three different occasions Clement served as acting director. Her work focused on the museum’s public programs, publications, membership, special events, publicity, and exhibitions, as well as programs such as the Visiting Scholars.

Clement played an essential role in the conservation of the YCBA. In 2003, she, along with London-based architects Peter Inskip and Stephen Gee, created a conservation plan that addressed the changes made to the museum and how to conserve the building for years to come. This work was then carried out in phases throughout the 2010s, with careful attention to the original intentions of Louis I. Kahn (1901-–1974) and the needs of contemporary visitors, staff, and collections.

The Yale Center for British Art was designed by the American architect Louis I. Kahn (1901-1974) and completed after his death. The museum was Kahn’s final work and is located across the street from his first commission, the Yale University Art Gallery (opened in 1953). The Center has a sleek, modern aesthetic, and it is the first museum in the United States with incorporated retail space. Notable elements of the design include the juxtaposition of materials similar in color and texture, such as the glass and steel on the façade, the strong geometry of the interior, and the many windows that bathe objects in diffused natural light. In 2005, the Center was awarded the Twenty-Five Year Award by the American Institute of Architects.