Elisabet Ney Museum facts for kids
The Elisabet Ney Museum is a museum in Austin, Texas, United States. It is located in the former art studio of the famous sculptor Elisabet Ney. The museum shows her life and work. You can see her portrait sculptures and personal items there.
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Elisabet Ney Studio and Museum
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| Location | 304 E. 44th St Austin, Texas, United States |
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| Area | 2.6 acres (1.1 ha) |
| Built | 1892 |
| Architect | Elisabet Ney |
| Architectural style | Classical revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001374 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 29, 1972 |
The Studio's Story
Elisabet Ney called her studio Formosa. It was finished in 1893 and made bigger in 1902. This was the very first art studio built in Texas.
After Ney passed away in 1907, Ella and Joseph B. Dibrell bought the building. They wanted to keep it as an art center to remember her. In 1941, the City of Austin took over the museum. The city's Parks and Recreation Department now manages it.
The museum is a local and state historic landmark. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It is also part of the Historic Artists' Homes and Studios program.
Restoration and Focus
Until 1973, the Ney museum mainly showed modern art. From 1980 to 1982, the museum closed for repairs. They also added a system to control the temperature inside. After this, the museum started to make the studio look like it did when Ney used it.
In 2007, a plan was made to restore the museum grounds. Part of this plan is now complete. They planted wildflowers and prairie grasses around the building. This makes the grounds look more like they did in Ney's time.
In 2017, the city of Austin announced more plans. They want to fix the museum's frame, windows, and doors. This will help control the building's temperature better. They also plan to restore the historic wall and gate. Other improvements include a new bridge over Waller Creek. This creek runs through the Ney property. A group called "Friends of the Ney" is also being formed to support the museum.
Recently, the museum has started to focus more on modern art again. It holds many public events and art shows every year.
What You Can See
The museum has many of Ney's original sculptures and copies. You can also see many of her personal items and tools. There are over fifty sculptures on display. These include busts, medallions, and full-sized figures.
Ney created portraits of famous people from Europe. Some of these include King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Otto von Bismarck, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and Arthur Schopenhauer. She also sculpted important Americans. These include William Jennings Bryan, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and General Albert Sidney Johnston.
See also
- List of single-artist museums
