Bronx Museum of the Arts facts for kids
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| Established | 1971 |
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| Location | 1040 Grand Concourse the Bronx, New York 10456, United States |
| Type | Art museum |
| Founder | Irma Fleck |
| Public transit access |
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The Bronx Museum of the Arts, often called the Bronx Museum, is an art museum in Concourse, Bronx, New York. It shows modern art and art from the 1900s. The museum features works by American artists. It also has art and designs from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The museum's collection has over 800 pieces. These include paintings, sculptures, photos, and drawings. It's located in the historic Grand Concourse area.
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Discovering the Bronx Museum's Story
The Bronx Museum of the Arts opened to bring more art to the Bronx. It also aimed to serve the many different people living there. The museum first opened on May 11, 1971. This was a team effort between the Bronx Council on the Arts and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its opening was part of a special "Bronx Day" event.
Early Days and First Home
The very first art show featured 28 paintings from the Met's collection. The museum was first set up in the Bronx County Courthouse. It was in the round main hall, called the rotunda. This change cost about $77,000. The museum also had small galleries in other Bronx neighborhoods. These included Co-op City, Bedford Park, and Allerton. In its first 12 years, the museum held over 350 art shows.
Moving to a New Building
In 1982, the city bought an empty building for the museum. It was an old synagogue at 165th Street and the Grand Concourse. The museum opened in its new home in May 1983. This was part of "Bronx Week." The first show there featured art from the 1900s. It included paintings, photos, and prints from the Met.
Growing Bigger and Better
The museum was expanded and updated in 1988. This project cost $5.8 million. In 2004, a new expansion project began. It cost $19 million and doubled the museum's size to 33,000 square feet. This larger museum opened in October 2006. In 2008, a 3,000-square-foot arts center was added. This space helps with art programs for local kids and their families. Since March 29, 2012, the museum has offered free admission every day. Before that, it was only free on Fridays.
The Museum's Unique Look
The Bronx Museum is located at 165th Street and the Grand Concourse. It's in the Concourse area of the South Bronx. The building was once the Young Israel Synagogue. It was built between 1959 and 1961. In the early 1980s, it was turned into a museum. This cost $2 million and used concrete, steel, and glass.
Updates to the Building
The 1988 expansion was designed by Castro-Blanco, Piscioneri & Feder. They updated the outside with black granite and metal. They also added large "ribbon windows" and a three-story glass lobby. This lobby, called an atrium, is at one corner.
The 2006 expansion was designed by Arquitectonica. They added a new three-story building next to the old one. This new part has a bigger entrance and a two-story lobby. It also has a new art gallery and better spaces for learning. The outside of this new section looks like a "pleated aluminum facade." It has seven tall, uneven aluminum pieces connected by fritted glass. It looks a bit like an accordion or a paper fan. The side of the building has black and white concrete blocks. These blocks are arranged in cool patterns, like the brick on many Bronx buildings. There's also a sculpture garden at the back on the second floor.
Future Plans
In 2016, the museum announced a big plan. They want to spend $25 million to renovate and expand the museum. They also plan to raise $10 million for a special fund. Architect Monica Ponce de Leon is in charge of this plan. The mayor's office gave $7 million for the project. The museum hopes to finish the first part of the renovation by 2020.
Exciting Art Shows
The Bronx Museum has hosted many interesting art shows over the years.
Showcasing Diverse Artists
In 1986, the museum started a series called "A Decade of En Foco." This series showed art by photographers from the En Foco organization. This group helps promote the work of Hispanic artists.
In 1987, two major shows got a lot of attention. One was about the life and work of African American artist Romare Bearden. The other showed the new world of computer-generated art. More recently, in 2006, they had "Tropicalia: A Revolution in Brazilian Culture." In 2008, they showed street photography by Jamel Shabazz.
Special Projects and Programs
In 2013, the museum won a big honor. They were chosen to represent the United States at the 2013 Venice Biennale. For this, they asked artist Sarah Sze to create a special art piece called “Triple Point.”
From 2015 to 2016, the museum had a show about Martin Wong's art career. It was called Martin Wong: Human Instamatic. In 2016, they featured "Mask" by photographer Frank Gimpaya. This show was inspired by "The Veil" by Georges Seurat.
The museum also runs a program called "The Artist in the Marketplace" (AIM). Art experts choose artists to join this program. It helps new artists connect with others in the art world. The program ends with an art show at the Bronx Museum.
How the Museum is Run
Irma Fleck is given credit for starting the museum. She wanted to help the South Bronx area. She was also a member of the Bronx Council of the Arts.
Leadership and Free Admission
In 2006, Holly Block became the museum's director. She had worked at another non-profit art group before. One of her most famous decisions was making museum admission free in 2012. After this, the number of visitors grew four times!
In 2011, museum leaders also created a group of local residents. These "cultural ambassadors" help the museum connect with the community. They also give advice on how to involve more people.
In July 2018, Deborah Cullen became the director. The position was open after Holly Block passed away in 2017. Deborah Cullen had worked at Columbia University's Wallach Art Gallery. She left the museum in 2019.
Klaudio Rodriguez became the interim director in December 2019. He had been the museum's deputy director since 2017. In November 2020, he became the executive director.
Funding the Arts
The museum has a budget of $3.5 million each year. It used to get most of its money from the government. Now, it gets most of its funding from companies, foundations, and private donations. The museum usually spends $10,000 to $50,000 a year to buy new art. It also receives donated artworks. In 2013, it raised $1 million for a new fund. This fund helps buy art from modern artists who have strong ties to the Bronx. The museum is a non-profit organization.
More to Explore
- List of art museums
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
