Aspen Art Museum facts for kids
Aspen Art Museum Building designed by architect Shigeru Ban
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| Established | 1979 |
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| Location | 637 E. Hyman Avenue Aspen, Colorado United States |
| Type | Contemporary art museum |
| Accreditation | American Alliance of Museums. |
The Aspen Art Museum (AAM) is a cool place in Aspen, Colorado, USA, where you can see amazing modern art. It started in 1979. Unlike some museums, it doesn't collect art to keep forever. Instead, it focuses on showing new and exciting art from today's artists. You might see everything from drawings and paintings to sculptures, big multimedia displays, and even art made with computers and screens.
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The Museum Building: A Work of Art Itself
The Aspen Art Museum moved into its current home at 637 East Hyman Avenue on August 9, 2014. Before that, it was in an old building that used to be a power plant.
Who Designed the Aspen Art Museum?
The new museum building was designed by a famous architect named Shigeru Ban. He won a very important award called the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2014. This building was his very first museum built in the United States!
What's Inside the Museum Building?
The museum is huge, with four levels and about 33,000 square feet of space. It has eight different areas where art is shown. These include six regular art galleries, a special sculpture garden on the roof, and an outdoor common area.
Cool Features of the Building's Design
The building itself is a piece of art! It has five main design features that make it special:
- Grand Stair: A big, impressive staircase.
- Moving Glass Room Elevator: An elevator that moves like a glass room.
- Woven Wood Screen: A unique screen made from woven wood.
- Wood Roof Truss: The roof is supported by a cool wooden structure.
- Walkable Skylights: You can actually walk on parts of the roof that let light into the museum below!
Museum Standards and Green Efforts
The Aspen Art Museum is a highly respected institution. It is officially recognized by the American Alliance of Museums. This means it meets high standards for how museums are run.
Working with Other Art Museums
The museum is also a member of the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD). This group includes leaders from art museums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Being Eco-Friendly
In 2009, the Aspen Art Museum joined a special program called "ZGreen." This program helps businesses in Aspen be more environmentally friendly. The museum works hard to:
- Recycle materials.
- Compost food waste.
- Host "zero waste" events, where almost nothing is thrown away.
Artist Programs at the Museum
The Aspen Art Museum has a special program called the Distinguished Artist in Residence Program. It started in 2006.
What is an Artist in Residence?
Each year, this program invites artists to come and stay in Aspen, Colorado. While they are there, the artists work on creating new art. This new art is then shown in the museum's galleries! As part of their visit, the artists also talk about their work and give lectures to the public.
