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 place to see modern art! It's located on the University of Houston campus. This museum is special because it doesn't own a permanent collection of art. Instead, it focuses on showing new and exciting art from today.
The Blaffer Art Museum opened in 1973. It has won several awards for its work. One big award was the Coming Up Taller Award. The museum shows art by famous artists from all over the world. It also displays amazing artwork created by students from the University of Houston.
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History of the Blaffer Art Museum
The museum first opened in 1973. It was named the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Gallery. This was to honor Sarah Campbell Blaffer. She had shared many important artworks with the University of Houston. These artworks dated from the 1400s to modern times.
In 1979, a different group, the Blaffer Foundation, bought this art collection. That collection is now at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The money from that sale helps fund some of the Blaffer Art Museum's programs today.
Since it started, the Blaffer Art Museum has shown over 250 different art exhibits! In 1986, the museum decided to focus on art from the last 100 years. This includes art that connects to important cultural and intellectual ideas. The museum also expanded in 1999, making more space for art.
The museum also started special programs for kids. In 1988, they created UHReach. Then, in 1998, the Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP) began. These programs help young people learn about art.
A big moment for the museum happened on November 4, 2009. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, gave the museum the Coming Up Taller Award. This award gives $10,000 to art programs. It helps programs that support young people who might not otherwise have art opportunities.
In 2010, the museum changed its name to the Blaffer Art Museum. This was part of a big plan to redesign the building. The museum reopened on October 12, 2012. It had a fresh, new look designed by a firm from New York.
What Kind of Art Does Blaffer Show?
The Blaffer Art Museum puts on about six to eight new art shows each year. These shows can include large exhibits that travel to different cities. They also feature smaller shows focusing on one artist. Sometimes, they show art by local artists from the Houston area.
The museum also creates themed shows. These shows put different artists' works together in new and interesting ways. You can also see art made by university students. Sometimes, there are even special art projects and performances!
The Blaffer Art Museum works hard to study and research modern art history. They often team up with other art groups and schools in Houston. This helps them bring even more exciting art to the community.
The museum also hosts public events related to its shows. These can be casual tours where you bring your lunch. Or they can be lively discussions called "Contemporary Salons." These events help people understand and enjoy the art even more.
The Blaffer Art Museum is free for everyone to visit! Over 30,000 people come to see the art each year.
Cool Programs for Students
The Blaffer Art Museum has amazing programs that help students learn about art.
UHReach Program
In 1988, the Blaffer Gallery started UHReach. This program is for school children. It's now known across the country as a great way to reach out to the community. Blaffer works closely with 18 elementary, middle, and high schools. These schools are in the neighborhoods around 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, called docents, for UHReach. These docents lead tours of the art exhibits. They also visit classrooms at schools. There, they do fun activities with students before and after their museum visits.
Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP)
In 1998, the Blaffer Gallery started the Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP). This program is free! It's an after-school art program for high school students. It's especially for students who might be at risk or have special needs.
YAAP is a six-week workshop after school. Students get to explore one art form in depth. This could be something like printmaking or making videos (videography). Students work with museum staff and University of Houston students. They create their own art, study the current exhibits, and go on field trips. They visit other museums and art galleries in the area.
The program ends with a final art project. This project is shown in a museum exhibit! The top two students in the program even win college scholarships.
Learning at the Museum
Education is a very important part of the Blaffer Art Museum's goal. They want to be a great place to study art and art history. By sharing the university's learning with the community, the museum helps people keep learning all the time. They connect new ideas with people through art.
Through all its programs, the Blaffer offers enriching museum experiences. It also provides art education for people of all ages and backgrounds.
