Massachusetts College of Art and Design is established.

Originally Massachusetts Normal Art School, it is located initially at 33 Pemberton Square. The first and only freestanding public art school in the U.S., its purpose is to train the teachers to meet the requirements of the 1870 state Industrial Drawing Act, which requires that public school students be taught drawing to help the state produce textile designers and metal workers. Walter Smith is the first director. The school moves to 28 School Street in 1874, to 1679 Washington Street in 1880, to a new building (first) on Newbury Street in 1887.* Renamed Massachusetts College of Art in 1925, it moves to a new building (second) on Brookline Avenue in 1930,* and to its current location (third) on Huntington Avenue in 1983.* It assumes its current name in 2007.