Arlington Museum of Art facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Arlington Museum of Art

Previous location of the Arlington Museum of Art
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Established	1989
Location	Arlington, Texas, United States
Type	Art museum
Founder	Howard and Arista Joyner

The Arlington Museum of Art is a cool place in Arlington, Texas, where you can see amazing art. Unlike some museums, it doesn't have its own huge collection of art. Instead, it brings in awesome art shows from all over the world! You can also take art classes, watch movies about art, and listen to talks about different artists. It's a non-profit organization, which means it's all about sharing art with everyone, not making money. In 2024, the museum moved to a much bigger spot in the city's Entertainment District.

A Look Back: The Museum's Story

How It All Started

The idea for the Arlington Museum of Art began way back in 1952. That's when Howard and Arista Joyner started the Arlington Art Association. Howard Joyner created the Art Department at the University of Texas at Arlington. Arista Joyner was the first art teacher at Arlington High School.

The Art Association helped art grow in the city. They held art shows and auctions. These events helped raise money for scholarships. The scholarships were for local high school students who wanted to study art. The group also saved money to buy a building. They wanted a permanent home for art in Arlington.

Finding a Home

In 1986, the Arlington Art Association bought an old J. C. Penney store. It was on Main Street in downtown Arlington. They worked hard to fix it up. In 1989, they officially became the Arlington Museum of Art. The museum opened its doors in May 1990. The very first art show featured modern art.

New Leaders and Big Changes

In 1991, Joan Davidow became the museum's first full-time director. She had worked at the Dallas Museum of Art. Joan focused on showing modern art from Texas. In just three years, she made the museum's budget much bigger. She also got support from big companies. Michael Ennis, a writer, called her "the most imaginative" museum director in Texas. She also started art summer camps for kids. Plus, she created family activities for each art show.

In 2001, Anne Allen took over as director. She added new programs. These included talks by artists and gallery tours. The museum faced some money problems in 2012. Chris Hightower, who was on the museum's board, became the new director. Under his leadership, the museum started showing all kinds of art. This included art that was important historically and culturally. The museum also began getting grants to fund its shows. They also started renting out their space for events.

In 2015, a kind person named Sam Mahrouq gave the museum a lot of money. This helped the museum pay off its building loan.

A New, Bigger Home

In early 2024, the museum moved to a new location. It's now in the City’s Esports Stadium and Expo Center. This new spot is huge! The museum now has about 48,000 square feet of space. That's much bigger than its old home, which was only 5,500 square feet. This move means the museum can host even more amazing art shows and programs.

Amazing Art Shows

The Arlington Museum of Art has shown many different kinds of art. They've had photos by Ansel Adams. They've also shown art by Salvador Dalí. You could even see photos of Marilyn Monroe by Milton H. Greene.

The museum has featured art from the Harlem Renaissance. This included works by artists like Richmond Barthé and Jacob Lawrence. They've also displayed Japanese woodblock prints by Utagawa Hiroshige. Photos by Vivian Maier have been shown too.

Other cool exhibitions included art by Knox Martin. There were also ceramics by Pablo Picasso. The museum even had a special show about Keith Haring. They've also displayed sculptures made of edible art. And they've shown real movie costumes! These included costumes from Pirates of the Caribbean and The Phantom of The Opera.

Gallery

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  Museum interior, during Youth Art Month

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  Museum interior

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  Museum interior

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  Star-Telegram Amphitheater