Addison Gallery of American Art facts for kids
The Addison Gallery's main entrance.
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| Established | 1931 |
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| Location | Andover, Massachusetts |
| Type | Academic museum |
| Collections | American art |
The Addison Gallery of American Art is a special art museum. It focuses on collecting and showing American art. The museum is part of Phillips Academy, a school located in Andover, Massachusetts.
Contents
What is the Addison Gallery?
The Addison Gallery is known as an "academic museum." This means it's connected to a school, Phillips Academy. It helps students learn about art and history. The museum also welcomes the public to explore its amazing collections.
A Look at the Addison's History
The Addison Gallery first opened its doors in 1931. Over the years, many talented people have led the museum. These leaders, called directors, help decide what art to buy and what shows to put on.
Some of the past directors include Bartlett H. Hayes, Jr., Christopher C. Cook, Jock Reynolds, Adam D. Weinberg, Brian T. Allen, and Judith F. Dolkart. Allison N. Kemmerer became the director in 2021.
In 2006, the museum planned a big project. They wanted to make the Addison Gallery even better. This included renovating and expanding the building. The construction started in 2008 and finished in 2010. Centerbrook Architects & Planners designed the new parts of the museum.
What Art Can You See?
The Addison Gallery has a huge collection of American art. It includes paintings, sculptures, photographs, and drawings. The art spans from the 1700s all the way to today.
Famous Artists in the Collection
When the museum first started, it had important works by famous American artists. These included John Singleton Copley, Thomas Eakins, and Winslow Homer. You can also see art by Maurice Prendergast, John Singer Sargent, and James McNeill Whistler.
Over time, the museum has added many more artworks. They have pieces by George Bellows, Alexander Calder, Edward Hopper, and Georgia O'Keeffe. Other well-known artists like Jackson Pollock, Frederic Remington, and Andrew Wyeth also have art here.
Photography and More
The Addison Gallery also has a large collection of photographs. It includes about 7,500 photos that show the history of American photography. You can see works by famous photographers like Walker Evans, Robert Frank, and Ansel Adams.
The museum also collects models of American ships. These include models of famous ships like the Half Moon and the Mayflower.
Today, the museum's collection has over 22,000 works of art. This includes paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints, and decorative arts.
Special Art Shows
The Addison Gallery always has new and exciting things to see. Each year, they put on about twelve temporary exhibitions. These shows feature different artists or themes. They also change how they display their permanent collection.
Some recent special exhibitions have included:
- American Vanguards: Graham, Davis, Gorky, De Kooning and Their Circle (2012)
- An American in London: Whistler and the Thames (2014)
- Laurie Simmons: in and Around the House (2016)
- Mark Tobey: Threading Light (2017)
- Mel Kendrick: Seeing Things in Things (2021)
- Rosamond Purcell: Nature Stands Aside (2022)
- Alison Elizabeth Taylor: The Sum of It (2023)
Images for kids
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A portrait by Toyo Miyatake.
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West Wind by Winslow Homer.
