Blaffer Art Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1973 |
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| Location | University of Houston |
| Visitors | 30,000+ |
The Blaffer Art Museum is a cool art museum at the University of Houston. It shows modern art. You can find it in the Fine Arts Building, and it's part of the university's art college. The museum started in 1973. It has won awards, like the Coming Up Taller Award, for helping young people through art. The museum displays art from famous artists from all over the world. It also shows amazing artwork made by students from the University of Houston.
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Museum History
The museum started in 1973. It was named after Sarah Campbell Blaffer, who loved art. She shared many important artworks with the university. The museum has shown over 250 art exhibitions since it opened. In 1986, the museum decided to focus on art from the last 100 years. In 1999, the museum became bigger.
The museum also created special programs for learning. In 1988, the UHReach program began. In 1998, the Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP) started.
On November 4, 2009, the Blaffer Art Museum received a special honor. First Lady Michelle Obama gave the museum the Coming Up Taller Award. This award gives $10,000 to art programs. These programs help young people who might not have many chances to experience art.
In 2010, the museum changed its name from Blaffer Gallery to Blaffer Art Museum. It also got a big makeover. A company from New York called Work Architecture Co. designed the new look. The newly updated museum opened its doors on October 12, 2012.
Art Exhibitions
The Blaffer Art Museum puts on about six to eight new art shows every year. These shows might include big traveling exhibitions. They also feature shows by artists from the local area. Sometimes, they group artworks together to show new ideas. The museum also displays art made by students.
The museum works hard to study and understand modern art history. It often partners with other art groups and schools in Houston. The museum offers public programs for each exhibition. These include casual tours and lively discussions.
The Blaffer Art Museum is free for everyone to visit. More than 30,000 people visit the museum each year.
Special Programs
The Blaffer Art Museum has special programs to help students learn about art.
UHReach Program
In 1988, the museum started a unique program for school children called UHReach. This program is now known across the country. It helps many students learn about art. Blaffer works closely with 18 elementary, middle, and high schools. These schools are near the museum. UHReach also helps schools from 24 other areas.
Students from the University of Houston and Texas Southern University get special training. They become guides for UHReach. They lead tours of the art shows. They also visit classrooms to do fun art activities before and after the museum visits.
Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP)
In 1998, the Blaffer Art Museum started the Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP). This program is free. It helps high school students who might be at risk or have special needs. It is a six-week workshop after school. Students get to explore one type of art in depth. This could be printmaking or making videos.
Students work with museum staff and University of Houston students. They create art and study the current exhibitions. They also go on field trips to other museums and art galleries. The program ends with a final art project. These projects are shown in a museum exhibition. The top two students in the program even win college scholarships!
Learning About Art
Education programs are very important to the Blaffer Art Museum. They help the museum share art with everyone. The museum wants to be a place where people can study art and art history. By sharing the university's learning programs with the community, the museum helps people keep learning. It connects new ideas with people. Through many different programs, Blaffer offers great museum experiences. It also provides art education for people of all ages and backgrounds.
