Gibbes Museum of Art facts for kids
The Gibbes Museum of Art
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| Established | 1905 |
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| Location | 135 Meeting Street Charleston, South Carolina |
The Gibbes Museum of Art is a cool art museum located in Charleston, South Carolina. It used to be called the Gibbes Art Gallery. This museum started as the Carolina Art Association back in 1858.
In 1905, the museum moved into a beautiful new building. This building is at 135 Meeting Street in the Charleston Historic District. It was designed in a special style called Beaux Arts. The Gibbes Museum has an amazing collection of over 10,000 artworks. Most of these are American pieces, and many have a special connection to Charleston or the Southern United States.
Contents
How the Gibbes Museum Started
The Gibbes Museum of Art is named after a generous person named James Shoolbred Gibbes. He donated $100,000 to the Carolina Art Association. This money was meant to build a proper place to show off paintings.
The Gift That Built a Museum
The city of Charleston didn't get the money right away. There was a legal disagreement about Mr. Gibbes' will. His nieces and nephews challenged the will in a New York court.
In December 1901, the court decided that the gift to Charleston was valid. So, in 1903, the Carolina Art Association finally received the money. This allowed them to start planning the new art gallery.
Designing the Museum Building
After getting the money, the Association hired a famous architect named Frank Pierce Milburn. He was chosen to design the new art gallery.
What the Building Looks Like
Milburn's plans for the building were very grand. He designed a special dome, similar to those made by Tiffany. The building also featured strong Doric columns and windows and doors with decorative tops called pediments.
Milburn finished his drawings in mid-1903. A picture of the planned building was even shown in the Charleston Evening Post newspaper on June 5, 1903. Soon after, they started looking for construction companies to bid on the work.
Building Begins
In September 1903, a contractor named H.T. Zacharias was chosen. He signed a contract for $73,370 to build the museum. Zacharias began work on September 28, 1903. He first had to clear away the old South Carolina Agricultural Hall that was on the land.
Even though they had already started the foundations, a special ceremony was held on December 8, 1903. This was to lay the cornerstone of the building at the northeast corner.
The Grand Opening
The Gibbes Museum of Art officially opened its doors to the public on April 11, 1905. It was a big event!
What Was on Display?
On opening day, visitors could see more than 300 paintings. There were also many bronze sculptures and about 200 tiny artworks called miniatures. The museum also had an "instructive collection" of Japanese prints, which means they were good for learning.
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Modern Renovations
In the early 2000s, the museum closed for a major renovation. This big project cost $13.5 million and took two years to complete.
Bringing Back the Original Look
The museum reopened on May 28, 2016. During the renovation, the teams found the original blueprints of the building. These plans were discovered in the City of Charleston archives in 2008.
Using these old blueprints, they were able to restore the building to its original 1905 Beaux Arts style layout. This means it looks much like it did when it first opened!
What's Inside Now?
The first floor of the museum now has classrooms and art studios. There are also spaces for lectures and special events, plus a museum store. The back of the museum opens up to a lovely garden. This garden is part of Charleston's historic Gateway Walk. A great thing is that the entire ground floor of the museum is free to enter!
The Museum's Art Collection
The Gibbes Museum has many artworks by artists who have connections to Charleston. This makes the collection very special to the area.
Featured Artists
Some of the artists whose work you can see at the museum include Henrietta Johnston, Mary Roberts, Charles Fraser, William Melton Halsey, Merton Simpson, Ned I.R. Jennings, and Jeremiah Theus.
The museum also collects photographs. For example, they have photos by George LaGrange Cook. These include pictures taken after the big 1886 Charleston earthquake.
