[1] In 1893, a group of American architects, painters and sculptors met regularly while planning the fine arts section of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

In October 1894 the American School of Architecture opened temporarily at the Palazzo Torlonia; directed by Austin W. Lord, it had three fellows, one visiting student, and a library with one volume.

[2] In 1895, the American School of Architecture in Rome was incorporated in New York state and 10 shares of capital stock were issued.

Despite fund-raising efforts and the American School of Classical Studies pulling out of Villa Aurora, the organization struggled financially.

[2] Since 1914, Joseph Brodsky, Aaron Copland, Nadine Gordimer, Thornton Wilder, Mary McCarthy, Philip Guston, Frank Stella, William Styron, Michael Graves, Robert Venturi, Robert Penn Warren, Oscar Hijuelos and Elizabeth Murray, among others, have come to the Academy for inspiration.

[5][7] More recent fellows include artists Firelei Báez, Nari Ward, Rochelle Feinstein, Sanford Biggers, Roberto Lugo and Daniel Joseph Martinez, writers Anthony Doerr, Alexandra Kleeman and Kirstin Valdez Quade, composers Christopher Cerrone, Pamela Z and Andy Akiho, architect Germane Barnes, and filmmaker Garrett Bradley (filmmaker).

[9] His tenure has seen the American Academy in Rome become more diverse and globally facing, and he launched new public programming in the United States.

The 2023/2024 Rome Prize cycle included: Kamrooz Aram, Nao Bustamante, Zachary Fabri, Jeanine Oleson, and Dread Scott.

[8] In addition to Rome Prize Fellows and Resident, visiting scholars and artists live and work at the Academy for varying periods.

In 1971, the administrative structure was changed in recognition of the need for a professional staff in the U.S., and the position of President and CEO was separated from that of Chair of the Board of Trustees.

The 2011 Driehaus Prize winner and New Classical architect Michael Graves designed the rare books library in 1996.

The ancient city of Rome had to import large amounts of grain from Egypt, North Africa, and Sicily to feed its population, estimated at one million people at its peak.