The registrar's office maintained a photograph file to document changes in the museum's galleries. The practice of photographing gallery views began when the museum opened in 1916, with new photographs being taken for each special exhibition or gallery renovation. Photographs usually were not taken, however, for routine rotation of artwork.

Over time the museum expanded through new additions. By 2002 the museum had expanded three times, with new wings opening in 1958, 1971, and 1984. The additional building added new galleries but also resulted in confusion about the sequence of art in the galleries. Several times the museum staff chose to renumber the galleries to make navigating the museum less confusing to the visitor. The appendix details each of the changes in gallery number, organized by each gallery's number in 2002. The following is a chronological list of the gallery changes from 1916-2002:

1916: The museum opens with fifteen galleries located solely on the second, or "gallery floor." Some additional gallery space for the education department on the ground floor is called Gallery 16.

1958: New galleries are added with the addition of the 1958 wing by Hayes and Ruth. The new galleries on the second floor are numbered sequentially after the original fifteen galleries. Some of the ground floor space is converted into galleries which are identified alphabetically

1970: The original auditorium is destroyed, along with the education department's gallery 16, and renovated as the Oriental (today the Asian) galleries, which descend into the basement as well as being located on the ground floor. These galleries are lettered sequentially after the existing first floor galleries (with the exception of Gallery T, Later Japanese Art). This is the first phase of a five-phase gallery renovation project

1971: The new wing by Marcel Breuer adds special exhibition galleries (called as such) but does not change the existing gallery sequence. This is the second phase of the five-phase gallery renovation project

1972-1976: All of the second floor galleries are overhauled as phases two through five of the gallery renovation project. On the west side of the 1958 wing gallery walls are moved. The new numbering sequence for the second floor galleries "recognizes generally the development of Western Art," according to a contemporary gallery map. First floor letter identification remains the same.

1984: The new addition by Peter van Dijk adds nine galleries adjacent to the west side of the 1958 wing. The galleries on the second floor, beginning with Gallery 29, are renumbered to incorporate the additional galleries.

1990: In November 1990 galleries on the first floor and in the Asian galleries are numbered in the 100s, replacing the alphabetical letters. All galleries on the second floor have the number 2 added in front of their number, making them all in the 200s. The special exhibition galleries are given numbers consistent with the level on which they are located. Only the education corridor on the lower level is not given a number.

Gallery 102 (1958 Addition)
A: 1958 - 1990
102: 1991 - to date

Gallery 103 (1958 Addition)
B: 1958 - 1990
103: 1991 - to date

Gallery 104 (1958 Addition)
Foyer: 1916-1957
C: 1958 - 1990
104: 1991 - to date

Gallery 105 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
D: 1958 - 1990
105: 1991 - to date

Gallery 106 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
Textile Corridor: 1958 - 1990
106: 1991 - to date

Gallery 107 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
E: 1958 - 1990
107: 1991 - to date

Gallery 108 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
G & E: 1958 - 1990
108: 1991 - to date

Gallery 109 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
F: 1958 - 1990
109: 1991 - to date

Gallery 110 (1916 Building)
Director's Corridor: 1916-1957
H: 1958 - 1990
110: 1991 - to date

Gallery 111 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
I: 1958 - 1990
111: 1991 - to date

Gallery 112 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
J: 1958 - 1990
112: 1991 - to date

Gallery 113 (1916 Building - not used a gallery until after 1958)
T: 1970 - 1990
113: 1991 - to date

Gallery 114 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
K: 1970 - 1990
114: 1991 - to date

Gallery 115 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
L: 1970 - 1990
115: 1991 - to date

Gallery 116 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
M: 1970 - 1990
116: 1991 - to date

Gallery 117 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
N: 1970 - 1990
117: 1991 - to date

Gallery 118 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
O: 1970 - 1990
118: 1991 - to date

Gallery 119 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
P: 1970 - 1990
119: 1991 - to date

Gallery 120 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
Q: 1970 - 1990
120: 1991 - to date

Gallery 121 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
R: 1970 - 1990
121: 1991 - to date

Gallery 122 (Asian Galleries created in 1970)
S: 1970 - 1990
122: 1991 - to date

Gallery 201 (1958 Addition)
Gallery Lobby: 1958-1972
1: 1973-1992
201: 1993 - to date

Gallery 202 (1958 Addition)
21: 1958-1972
2: 1973-1992
202: 1993 - to date

Gallery 203 (1958 Addition)
20: 1958-1972
3: 1973-1992
203: 1993 - to date

Gallery 204 (1958 Addition)
19: 1958-1972
4: 1973-1992
204: 1993 - to date

Gallery 205 (1958 Addition)
18: 1958-1972
5: 1973-1992
205: 1993 - to date

Gallery 206 (1958 Addition)
24: 1958-1972
6: 1973-1992
206: 1993 - to date

Gallery 207 (1958 Addition)
23: 1958-1972
7: 1973-1992
207: 1993 - to date

Gallery 208 (1958 Addition)
22: 1958-1972
8: 1973-1992
208: 1993 - to date

Gallery 209 (1958 Addition)
part of 17: 1958-1972
9: 1973-1992
209: 1993 - to date

Gallery 210 (1958 Addition)
part of 17: 1958-1972
10: 1973-1992
210: 1993 - to date

Gallery 211 (1958 Addition)
16: 1958-1972
11: 1973-1992
211: 1993 - to date

Gallery 212 (1916 Building)
1: 1916 - 1975
12: 1976 - 1992
212: 1993 - to date

Gallery 213 (1916 Building)
2: 1916 - 1975
13: 1976 - 1992
213: 1993 - to date

Gallery 214 (1916 Building)
3: 1916 - 1975
14: 1976 - 1992
214: 1993 - to date

Gallery 215 (1916 Building)
4: 1916 - 1975
15: 1976 - 1992
215: 1993 - to date

Gallery 216 (1916 Building)
5: 1916 - 1975
16: 1976 - 1992
216: 1993 - to date

Gallery 217 (1916 Building)
6: 1916 - 1975
17: 1976 - 1992
217: 1993 - to date

Gallery 218 (1916 Building)
7: 1916 - 1975
18: 1976 - 1992
218: 1993 - to date

Gallery 219 (1916 Building)
8: 1916 - 1975
19: 1976 - 1992
219: 1993 - to date

Gallery 219A (1916 Building)
Former numbers not known

Gallery 220 (1916 Building)
9: 1916 - 1975
20: 1976 - 1992
220: 1993 - to date

Gallery 220A (1916 Building)
1916-1958: Recent Accessions Room [Flora E. Hard Room]
[Bathroom for some time between 1958 and 1992]
220A: 1992 - to date

Gallery 221 (1916 Building)
10: 1916 - 1975
21: 1976 - 1992
221: 1993 - to date

Gallery 222 (1916 Building)
11: 1916 - 1975
22: 1976 - 1992
222: 1993 - to date

Gallery 223 (1916 Building)
12: 1916 - 1975
23: 1976 - 1992
223: 1993 - to date

Gallery 223A (1916 Building)
13: 1916 - 1975
23A: 1976 - 1992
223A: 1993 - to date

Gallery 223B (1916 Building)
14: 1916 - 1975
23B: 1976 - 1992
223B: 1993 - to date

Gallery 223C (1916 Building)
15: 1916 - 1975
23C: 1976 - 1992
223C: 1993 - to date

Gallery 224 (1958 Addition)
36 & 37: 1958 - 1973
24: 1974- 1992
224: 1992 - to date

Gallery 225 (1958 Addition)
part of 35: 1958 - 1973
25: 1974 - 1992
225: 1993 - to date

Gallery 226 (1958 Addition)
part of 35: 1958 - 1973
26: 1974 - 1992
226: 1993 - to date

Gallery 227 (1958 Addition)
part of 35, 34, 33: 1958 - 1973
27: 1974 - 1992
227: 1993 - to date

Gallery 228 (1958 Addition)
part of 35, 33: 1958 - 1973
28: 1974 - 1992
228: 1993 - to date

Gallery 229 (1984 Addition)
Gallery 29: 1984-1991
Gallery 229: 1992 - to date

Gallery 230 (1984 Addition)
Gallery 30: 1984-1991
Gallery 230: 1992 - to date

Gallery 231 (1958 Addition)
part of 30, 33: 1958 - 1973
29 & 31: 1974-1984
31: 1985-1992
231: 1992 - to date

Gallery 232 (1958 Addition)
32, part of 30, 31, 33, 34: 1958-1973
30: 1974-1984
32: 1985-1992
232: 1993 - to date

Gallery 233 (1958 Addition)
part of 29, 30, 31: 1958-1973
32: 1974-1984
33: 1985-1992
233: 1993 - to date

Gallery 234 (1984 Addition)
Gallery 34: 1984-1991
Gallery 234: 1992 - to date

Gallery 235 (1984 Addition)
Gallery 35: 1984-1991
Gallery 235: 1992 - to date

Gallery 236 (1984 Addition)
Gallery 36: 1984-1991
Gallery 236: 1992 - to date

Gallery 237 (1958 Addition)
part of 29: 1958-1973
33: 1974-1984
37: 1985-1992
237: 1993 - to date

Gallery 238 (1958 Addition)
part of 29: 1958-1973
34: 1974-1984
38: 1985-1992
238: 1993 - to date

Gallery 239 (1958 Addition)
28: 1958-1973
35: 1974-1984
39: 1985-1992
239: 1993 - to date

Gallery 240 (1958 Addition)
27: 1958-1973
36: 1974-1984
40: 1985-1992
240: 1993 - to date

Gallery 241 (1958 Addition)
26: 1958-1973
37: 1974-1984
41: 1985-1992
241: 1993 - to date

Gallery 242 (1958 Addition)
25: 1958-1973
38: 1974-1984
42: 1985-1992
242: 1993 - to date

Gallery 243 (1971 Addition)
Upper Special Exhibition Gallery: 1971-1990
243: 1991 - to date

Gallery Changes in the West Wing of the 1958 Addition, 1973-1974
listed under the original gallery number

Galleries 37 and 36 merged to become 24 (today 224)

Gallery 35 became
all of 25 (today 225)
all of 26 (today 226)
part of 27 (today 227)
part of 28 (today 228)

Gallery 34 became
part of 27 (today 227)
part of 30 (today 232)

Gallery 33 became
part of 27 (today 227)
part of 28 (today 228)
all of 29 (today 231)
part of 30 (today 232)
part of 31 (today 231)

Gallery 32 became part of 30 (today 232)

Gallery 31 became
part of 30 (today 232)
part of 32 (today 233)

Gallery 30 became
part of 30 (today 232)
part of 31 (today 231)
part of 32 (today 233)

Gallery 29 became
part of 32 (today 233)
all of 33 (today 237)
all of 34 (today 238)