Dallas Contemporary facts for kids
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| Established | 1978 |
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| Location | 161 Glass Street
Dallas, Texas 75207 United States |
| Type | Art Museum |
The Dallas Contemporary is an exciting art museum in Dallas, Texas. It was started in 1978 and focuses on showing brand new art from today's artists. You can find it in the city's Design District.
What is Dallas Contemporary?
The Dallas Contemporary is a special kind of art museum. Unlike many museums, it doesn't own a permanent collection of artworks. Instead, it focuses on showing new and interesting art from artists all over the world.
The museum wants to connect people with art. It does this through cool art shows, talks, and fun learning activities. It's a great place for people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond to explore modern art.
Dallas Contemporary is also unique because it's the only art museum in Texas that offers programs in two languages. It's open to everyone from Tuesday to Sunday, and the best part is, admission is always free!
The Museum's Story
The Dallas Contemporary was founded in 1978 by Patricia Meadows. It was first called the D’Art Visual Arts Center. Back then, it mostly showed art made by its own members. It also gave new artists a place to show their work.
Over time, the museum grew. It started showing art from artists who weren't members, including those from other parts of Texas. Eventually, it began to feature all kinds of modern art, showing Texas artists alongside famous artists from around the world.
Today, Dallas Contemporary works like a "kunsthall" (pronounced koonst-hall), which is a German word for an art hall. This means it's a welcoming place that focuses on showing art that is being made right now. Since it doesn't collect art, the museum often asks artists to create brand new artworks especially for its shows.
The Building's History
The Dallas Contemporary museum is located in a large building that covers 37,000 square feet. It's in the Design District, Dallas, which is a growing area not far from downtown Dallas.
The building was built in the 1950s and was used for different industrial jobs. In 2010, it was redesigned to become the museum we see today. Architect Edward M. Baum helped change the building into one of the biggest art halls in the United States.
The building's first owner was a company called Grinnell Fire Protection. Later, it became a steel-making factory called United Metal. This factory made steel for many tall buildings, sports stadiums, and even roller coasters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. You can still see some of its industrial past inside the museum, like the original beams, roof supports, and even a loading dock.
See also
- List of museums in North Texas
- MTV Staying Alive Foundation
