Dia Beacon facts for kids
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| Established | 2003 |
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| Location | 3 Beekman Street, Beacon, New York |
| Type | Modern and contemporary art. |
| Visitors | 100,000 |
| Public transit access | Beacon station, Metro-North Hudson Line |
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National Biscuit Company Carton Making and Printing Plant
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| Area | 26.6 acres (10.8 ha) |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | Louis N. Wirsching, Jr.; John W. Cowpers Co. |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000253 |
| Added to NRHP | April 18, 2003 |
Dia Beacon is a special art museum. It holds a large collection of art from the 1960s until today. This museum is part of the Dia Art Foundation, which manages many art sites. Dia Beacon opened in 2003. It is located in Beacon, New York, right by the Hudson River.
The museum building used to be a factory. It was a place where Nabisco printed boxes. Artists and architects helped turn it into the amazing art space it is today. Besides its main collection, Dia Beacon also has new art shows. They also offer fun programs for visitors. These include talks about art, dance events, and special days for local communities. There are also education programs for students. With 160,000 square feet, it is one of the biggest art spaces in the country for modern art.
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About Dia Beacon
The Dia Art Foundation was one of the first to turn old factory buildings into art museums. This idea is now used by many museums around the world. Dia Beacon is a great example of this. The building was built in 1929 by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco).
The museum sits on 31 acres of land. It is very close to the Hudson River. There are also 90 acres of parkland nearby. You can easily walk to the museum from the Metro-North train station. It's about a five-minute walk. Beacon is about 60 miles north of New York City. The train ride takes about 80 minutes.
Exploring the Art Collections
Dia Beacon has huge spaces. These are perfect for showing very large artworks. This includes big paintings and sculptures. Each art gallery was designed for the specific art it holds. This makes the art look its best.
You can see Andy Warhol's Shadows here. This artwork is very long, about 350 feet! There are also light sculptures by Dan Flavin. These are called Monuments to V. Tatlin. You can also see giant steel sculptures by Richard Serra. They are shaped like twisted ellipses. Another cool piece is North, East, South, West by Michael Heizer.
The museum has more than 34,000 square feet of skylights. These let in lots of natural light. This light is perfect for viewing paintings by artists like On Kawara, Agnes Martin, Blinky Palermo, and Robert Ryman.
Outdoor Spaces and Gardens
Dia worked with artist Robert Irwin to plan the museum building and its outdoor areas. The grounds include an entrance area and a parking lot. There is also a beautiful garden with flowering fruit trees. Robert Irwin designed both of these.
Next to the museum, at Long Dock Park on the Hudson River, you can find another artwork. It's a special outdoor sculpture by George Trakas.
Images for kids
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Entrance
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Interior hallway
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Cafe
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Bookshop
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West garden
See also
In Spanish: Dia Beacon para niños
- Storm King Art Center, another art center in Mountainville, New York. It's about 13 miles from Dia Beacon.
- Beacon Point, an outdoor art piece by George Trakas that opened in 2007.
