Cyrus Dallin Art Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Cyrus Dallin Art Museum in the Jefferson Cutter House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Jefferson Cutter House in 2019
Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	611 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, Massachusetts
Built	1830
Architectural style	Greek Revival, Federal
MPS	Arlington MRA
NRHP reference No.	85001028
Added to NRHP	January 23, 1992

The Cyrus Dallin Art Museum (CDAM) is in Arlington, Massachusetts, USA. It shows the amazing artworks of Cyrus Dallin. He was an American sculptor, a teacher, and an activist for Indigenous peoples' rights. Dallin lived and worked in Arlington for over 40 years.

He is famous for many sculptures across the US. These include The Scout in Kansas City, Missouri. Also, there's The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Syracuse, New York. Another well-known work is The Signal of Peace in Chicago. In Boston, he is best known for his iconic Appeal to the Great Spirit and Paul Revere Monument statues.

What Can You See at the Museum?
About the Museum Building
The Story of Cyrus Dallin
- Who Was Cyrus E. Dallin?
- How the Museum Started
What's in the Permanent Collection?
See also

What Can You See at the Museum?

The Cyrus Dallin Art Museum is the only place in the United States dedicated to Cyrus Dallin's work. He was a sculptor from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The museum has over 90 artworks from his 60-year career.

You can see sculptures of Indigenous peoples and historical figures. There are also portraits of his family and friends. The museum displays models and early versions of his public monuments. You can also find coins, medals, and paintings. The exhibits help you understand Dallin's passion for art, teaching, and Indigenous rights.

About the Museum Building

The Cyrus Dallin Art Museum is inside the Jefferson Cutter House. This is a historic house in the center of Arlington, Massachusetts. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town owns the building.

The house also hosts the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. Plus, it has the Cutter Gallery, which shows art by local artists. The Jefferson Cutter House was built in 1830. It has a Greek Revival and Federal style design. It is shaped like a saltbox house. Jefferson Cutter, who was born in Arlington in 1803, first lived here. The beautiful main entry door was likely carved by Cutter himself. He was a skilled woodworker. The house became a historic place in 1992.

The Story of Cyrus Dallin

Who Was Cyrus E. Dallin?

Cyrus Edwin Dallin
Dallin c. 1912
Notable work	Appeal to the Great Spirit (1908) Paul Revere Monument (1885–1940) Angel Moroni (1893)

Cyrus Edwin Dallin was born on November 22, 1861, in Springville, Utah. People noticed his talent for sculpting and art when he was very young. At 19, he went to Boston to study with T.H. Bartlett. Today, he is known as one of the most important American sculptors.

Dallin faced challenges but always worked hard to finish what he started. A great example of his determination is the Paul Revere statue. He worked for 58 years to get it funded and built. After making 7 different versions over the years, Dallin's statue was finally put up in 1940 in Boston's historic North End.

In 1891, Dallin married Vittoria Colonna Murray, a writer. They had three sons. During this time, Dallin actively looked for art projects and won many awards. He earned money to support his family by teaching. He taught at the Massachusetts Normal Art School (now Massachusetts College of Art and Design) from 1900 to 1941.

Other famous artists, like Augustus St. Gaudens and John Singer Sargent, respected Dallin. Sargent even became a close friend. Sargent's sketch of Dallin's Portico is a special item at the museum. Dallin's art was widely copied and collected. His sculptures of Native Americans are among his most loved works. They changed how public art looked in America.

In 1900, when he was 39, Dallin moved to Arlington, Massachusetts. He lived and worked there for the rest of his life. Because of this, Arlington is now home to many of his artworks. Dallin passed away at his home on November 14, 1944, just before his 83rd birthday.

How the Museum Started

Robbins Memorial Flagstaff with sculptures by Dallin, near the museum

The museum is a team effort between the Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum, Inc. (a non-profit group) and the Town of Arlington. In 1982, the Arlington Arts Council received a grant. They used it for a historic marker for the Robbins Memorial Flagstaff. This flagstaff includes five sculptures made by Cyrus Dallin.

By 1984, more people were learning about Dallin. This led to a committee being formed. Their job was to find and list all of Dallin's works in Arlington. They found 24 artworks, and many needed care. In 1985, the Arlington Town Meeting decided to create the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum. The museum's goal was to collect, keep, and show Cyrus Dallin's art. The next year, a group of volunteers was chosen to run the museum. In 1988, they started raising money and collected $35,000 for a restoration program.

The collection didn't have a permanent home until 1998. That's when the town bought the historic Jefferson Cutter House. They made it available for the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum. In October 1998, the founders celebrated the opening of the museum's first two galleries. In 2000, the non-profit Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum Inc. was created. This group helps raise money for the museum. Two more galleries were added in 2001 and 2004.

What's in the Permanent Collection?

The Cyrus Dallin Museum has over 90 works by Cyrus Dallin. These include sculptures made of plaster and bronze, reliefs, medals, and paintings. The museum also offers a self-guided walking tour. This tour lets you see other Dallin sculptures located nearby in Arlington.