Fort Wayne Museum of Art facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| Established | 1897 (art school) 1921 (museum) |
|---|---|
| Location | 311 E. Main St. Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
The Fort Wayne Museum of Art (FWMoA) is a cool art museum located in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. It focuses on modern art and has many different types of art to see. The museum shows both its own art collections and special art shows that travel from other places. FWMoA is a popular spot, with about 100,000 visitors each year! It's a great place to explore amazing art.
Contents
A Look Back: How the Museum Started
Early Art Classes (1888-1921)
The idea for the Fort Wayne Museum of Art began a long time ago, in 1888. Artists like J. Ottis Adams and William Forsyth started teaching art classes. These classes became very popular. By 1897, the art classes officially became the Fort Wayne Museum of Art School.
Becoming a Museum (1921-1977)
In 1921, the school also became a museum. This happened when Theodore Thieme donated ten paintings to start an art collection. For the first time, the museum had art to show! In 1949, the B. Paul Mossman Home was given to the museum. This gave the museum its very own building to display art and host exhibitions. Later, in 1977, the art school and the museum became separate. The art school became part of Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne.
A New Home and Growth (1984-Today)
The Fort Wayne Museum of Art moved to its current building in 1984. This building is in downtown Fort Wayne. Today, the museum is a key part of the city's growing Cultural District. It is located near the Arts United Center and the Auer Center for Arts and Culture. The old Mossman Home became a private house again. Then, in 1995, it reopened as the Castle Gallery, showing art once more.
The Museum Building
The Fort Wayne Museum of Art's building was designed by architect Walter Netsch. It is quite large, covering about 50,000 square feet. The building has three main parts, called wings. These are the Exhibition/Collection wing, the Education/Administration wing, and the Auditorium. An enclosed area in the middle connects all three wings.
Recent Upgrades (2008-2010)
In 2008, the museum announced big plans for improvements. They added 10,000 more square feet for art displays. They also added a bistro (a small restaurant), a large library with 18,000 books, and a bigger gift shop. A new learning center for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade was also created. All these exciting changes were finished by the spring of 2010.
Fun Events
Chalk Walk
Every year since 1999, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art hosts a special event called Chalk Walk. This event is part of the Three Rivers Festival. During Chalk Walk, people get a square space on the pavement around the museum. They then use colorful pastels to draw their own amazing creations! It's a fun way to see art being made right before your eyes.
See also
