Dennos Museum Center facts for kids
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| Established | 1991 |
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| Location | Northwestern Michigan College 1410 College Drive Traverse City, Michigan 49686 |
| Type | Art Museum |
| Collections | Inuit art, Modern art, Contemporary art |
| Collection size | 3,100 |
| Architect | Bob Holdeman |
The Dennos Museum Center is a cool art museum and cultural spot in Traverse City, Michigan. You can find it on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College (NMC). It's super famous for its amazing collection of Inuit art. The Dennos Museum first opened its doors in 1991. It also shows off different art styles like Modern and Contemporary art in special changing exhibits.
The museum has three galleries where exhibits change often. There's also a sculpture court and a fun Interactive Discovery Gallery for kids and grown-ups. Plus, there are permanent galleries for Inuit art and other collections. The museum owns about 3,100 artworks. Nearly 2,000 of these are Inuit art prints and sculptures. The museum has a lot of space for showing art, both for temporary and permanent displays.
Beyond art, the Dennos Museum Center is also a cultural hub. It offers programs in science and performing arts. Inside, you'll find the Milliken Auditorium, a concert hall with 367 seats. This hall hosts concerts, especially world, jazz, and blues music. It's also used for college and community events. The museum also looks after 14 outdoor sculptures. These artworks by artists from Michigan and around the world are spread across the college campus. In 2000, the museum won the Governor's Award for Arts and Culture.
Museum History
How it Started
The museum's special Inuit art collection began way back in 1960. A librarian at Northwestern Michigan College, Bernie Rink, started it. He collected sculptures and prints for a library fundraiser. Bernie organized an annual sale of Canadian Inuit Art. He kept some of the art each year, both prints and sculptures. This is how the Inuit art collection grew. By 1991, it had 500 pieces, and by 2015, it had 1,500!
In the 1980s, people realized Traverse City needed an art collection and cultural center. Barbara and Michael Dennos were very important in making the museum happen. They helped a lot with its creation and funding.
In 1988, Eugene Jenneman became the first director. He worked with architect Bob Holdeman to design and build the museum. After a big community fundraising effort, the museum opened in July 1991. It was named after Michael and Barbara Dennos. The Barbara and Michael Dennos Museum Center was one of the first places in the United States to show Inuit art to the public. The museum building, designed by Holdeman, includes the Milliken Auditorium. This auditorium hosts concerts, lectures, and educational events.
Growing Bigger
The museum started raising money for expansion in 2015. They received large gifts from local supporters. Barbara and Dudley Smith gave $1 million for the Inuit art gallery. Diana and Richard Milock gave $2 million. Thanks to these gifts, the museum expanded its Inuit Gallery. It added 10,000 square feet of new exhibition space. This $5 million expansion opened in 2018. The new part for the Inuit Collection was named the Barbara and Dudley Smith Wing for Inuit Art.
Art Collections
The Dennos Museum has one of the first public collections of Inuit art in the United States. Most of the art comes from the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Alaska. The museum also has art by Canadian artists linked to the Woodlands style. These include famous artists like Norval Morrisseau and Carl Ray. You can also see works by important Michigan artists, such as Charles McGee.
Some of the amazing Inuit artists in the Dennos Museum's collection include:
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The museum also takes care of fourteen large outdoor sculptures. These are located on the grounds of Northwestern Michigan College. They include works by artists like Hanna Stiebel and Clement Meadmore.
In 2021, the museum started putting parts of its collection online. You can now see images of about 800 Inuit artworks on paper through their online database.
Museum Leadership
The museum is currently led by executive director Craig Hadley. He joined in late 2019. Before this, he was a curator at the art museum at DePauw University in Indiana. Craig Hadley took over from Eugene Jenneman. Eugene Jenneman was the museum's first executive director. He was hired in 1988 to help finish the museum's design and building. He also oversaw several big expansions during his 27 years there.
In 2021, the museum began working towards getting special accreditation. This is a process from the American Alliance of Museums that takes several years. As part of this, the museum published its mission statement. It says the museum "builds community, sparks conversation, and inspires change for audiences of all ages through its exhibitions, programs, and the collection and preservation of art."
