Cedarhurst Center for the Arts facts for kids
Mitchell Museum at Cedarhurst
Margaret (1871), by Thomas Eakins. |
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| Established | 1973 |
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| Location | 2600 Richview Road Mount Vernon, Illinois United States |
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts is a cool place in Mount Vernon, Illinois, where you can explore art and enjoy performances. It's built on a big 80-acre campus. Here, you can take fun classes like drawing, painting, and even ceramics. They also have concerts and community events. Cedarhurst is home to the Mitchell Museum, the Kuenz Sculpture Park, and the Shrode Art Center. It's a great spot for creative minds!
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Discover the Mitchell Museum
The Mitchell Museum is a special part of Cedarhurst. It's named after John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell. They were a couple who loved art and gave their amazing collection to Cedarhurst in 1973. Inside the museum, you'll find many American paintings. These include works by famous artists like Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, and Robert Henri. These artists were important masters from the early 1900s.
A Look Back: Cedarhurst's Story
John and Eleanor Mitchell had a dream to build an art museum. They wanted to share their wonderful art collection with everyone. Their collection included paintings from the late 1800s and early 1900s. They gathered these artworks over 40 years! In 1965, they started the Mitchell Foundation. This foundation helped build the Mitchell Museum at Cedarhurst. The museum officially opened its doors in 1973. Sadly, both John and Eleanor passed away before their dream was fully completed.
Cedarhurst Today: A Growing Art Hub
Over the past 40 years, Cedarhurst has grown a lot. It started as a small museum with just two rooms. Now, it's a huge 33,000-square-foot cultural center! It has four art galleries, including one that shows off the original Mitchell collection. There's also an interactive family learning center. This is a fun place where families can learn about art together. You can also enjoy performances in the special hall inside the museum.
The campus also has the Shrode Art Center. This center has its own gallery, classrooms, and art studios. It's a great place to take art classes. You can also visit the historic Mitchell Home and Schweinfurth House. These buildings are used for special events and meetings. Don't forget to explore the Goldman-Kuenz Sculpture Park. It's an outdoor area filled with cool modern sculptures!
The Historic Mitchell Home
John and Eleanor Mitchell built their beautiful home in 1936. Eleanor's father designed the house for their 80-acre estate. They called their property "Cedarhurst." John named it after his family's old home in Corinth, Illinois. That original Cedarhurst was a safe place for people traveling north on the Underground Railroad long ago. The Mitchells loved to entertain guests in their home. It was described as very stylish and comfortable. A magazine called Town and Country even featured their home in 1954! They showed off two of their paintings, Mrs. T in Wine Silk and Captain Jack Kelly.
Today, the Mitchell House is used for meetings and special events. You can also rent it for private gatherings. It's not open to the public every day, but it's an important part of Cedarhurst's history.
