The origin of the art collections of the Staten Island Museum date from 1905 and cover a broad range of artistic styles and periods. Most of the objects, collected to promote the public's interest in historical and contemporary art, fall into two categories: those that reflect the history, people and culture of Staten Island and those that reflect broad world civilizations. Although Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts from the Ancient world, were being collected as early as 1911, with the acquisition of the MacDonald collection, the major bulk of the art collection came to the Museum post-1930. Over the years, the acquisitions of the Museum have included many portraits of prominent Staten Islanders, such as Ernest L. Ipsen's elegant double portrait of Mrs. Fulton Mills and her son Arthur.