Burchfield Penney Art Center facts for kids
| Established | December 9, 1966 |
|---|---|
| Location | Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York, United States |
| Type | Art museum |
| Collection size | Over 12,000 works by Western New York artists |
| Public transit access | Metro Bus 20 |
The Burchfield Penney Art Center is a special place for art and learning. It is part of Buffalo State University in Buffalo, New York. This center is all about the art of an American painter named Charles E. Burchfield. It was started in 1966 and was first called the Charles E. Burchfield Center. The center has a museum, a library, and spaces for art activities. It holds the biggest collection of Burchfield's art in the world. It also shows art by many other talented artists from the Western New York area. It helps celebrate the rich art scene of Buffalo and its region.
Contents
History of the Art Center
How the Museum Started
The museum first opened its doors on December 9, 1966. It was originally named the Charles E. Burchfield Center. Charles E. Burchfield himself was there for the opening! Sadly, he passed away just over a month later.
Moving to a New Building
In November 2008, the museum moved to a brand new building. This new home is located in Buffalo, New York. It covers a large area of land. The Burchfield Penney opened its new location on November 22, 2008. They even had a 31-hour non-stop grand opening party! The new museum building is very big, about 84,000 square feet. It was designed by a company called Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects.
Art for Everyone
Today, a main goal of the Burchfield Penney is to be special and welcoming to everyone. One cool part is their "Front Yard" exhibit. It has three tall steel projectors. These projectors shine changing artwork onto the outside of the building. This means the art on the building is always different! The museum also works closely with schools and colleges, especially Buffalo State College.
What You Can See: The Collection
Art from Western New York
The museum's permanent collection has art from the late 1800s all the way to today. It has the largest collection of Charles E. Burchfield's artworks in the world. You can also find many of his drawings, notes, and journals there.
Even though the museum focuses on Burchfield's work, it is the only museum completely dedicated to the art and artists of Buffalo. It shows more than 18 different art exhibits every year.
Other Amazing Artists
The collection also includes many other types of art. You can see traditional art from the mid-1800s. There is also modern art and media art. Some well-known artists in the collection include Claire Shuttleworth, Virginia Cuthbert, and Ruth Erb Hoffman.
You can also find works by the founders of a place called Hallwalls. These artists include Charles Clough, Robert Longo, and Cindy Sherman. The museum also has one of the world's largest collections of photos by Milton Rogovin. He was a documentary photographer. You can also see paintings and prints by J.J. Lankes, who was from Buffalo. Plus, there is art by craftspeople from Roycroft.
See also
- List of single-artist museums
