Henry Art Gallery facts for kids
Henry Art Gallery main entrance
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| Established | 10 February 1927 |
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| Location | University of Washington campus Seattle, Washington |
| Type | Art museum |
| Accreditation | American Alliance of Museums |
| Key holdings | James Turrell Skyspace: Light Reign |
| Collections | Contemporary art, Photography |
| Collection size | 28,000 |
| Founder | Horace Chapin Henry |
| Architect | Bebb and Gould (original) Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects (expansion) |
| Owner | University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences |
| Public transit access | 1 Line (Sound Transit), University of Washington station |
The Henry Art Gallery, often called The Henry, is a cool art museum at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. It's a place where you can see lots of modern art and amazing photographs. The museum is managed by the Arts Division of the University of Washington's College of Arts and Sciences.
The Henry Art Gallery is located on the west side of the university's campus. You can find it along 15th Avenue N.E. in the University District. It first opened its doors on February 10, 1927. This made it the very first public art museum in the state of Washington! The first building was designed by a team called Bebb and Gould. Later, in 1997, the museum got much bigger. It expanded to about 40,000 square feet (3,716 square meters). A 154-seat auditorium was also added then. This expansion was designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects.
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Who Started the Henry Art Gallery?
The museum is named after Horace Chapin Henry. He was a local businessman who gave money to start the museum. He also donated a large collection of paintings. Mr. Henry started collecting art in the 1890s after visiting the Chicago World's Fair. He and his late wife, Susan, collected 178 pieces of art. He gave these artworks, along with money for the building, to the university. The Henry Art Gallery officially opened to the public on February 10, 1927.
Years before the museum opened, Mr. Henry had already made a special art space in his own home. From 1917 until the Henry Gallery was built, he let people visit his home. It was like a free museum, open to the public for 10 hours every week. Unlike some other art collectors, Mr. Henry did not try to control what would happen to the museum in the future. He wanted it to be a gift for everyone to enjoy.
What Kind of Art Can You See?
The Henry Art Gallery often shows contemporary art. This means art made in our time. They also have many exhibits about the history of photography. Some big exhibitions have featured famous artists. These include Ann Hamilton, Katinka Bock, and Maya Lin. Other artists like Lynn Hershman Leeson and Doug Aitken have also had shows there.
One special exhibit was called W.O.W. - The Work of the Work. This show explored how modern art can appeal to more than just our eyes. It looked at how art can make us feel things with our other senses and even our bodies.
The Henry's Art Collection
The Henry Art Gallery has a huge collection of art. There are over 28,000 different objects! A big part of the collection is photographs. These include both old and new photos. Many of these came from a gift and purchase of the Joseph and Elaine Monsen collection. In 1982, the Henry also received a large collection of costumes and textiles. These came from the University of Washington's old Costume and Textile Study Center.
The museum also has a very cool sculpture called James Turrell Skyspace: Light Reign. It was finished in 2003. This special artwork is a room that lets you experience light in a unique way. It even has a roof that can open and close, just like the Seattle baseball stadium!
The Henry Art Gallery makes its collections available for people to study. You can explore the art in person by making a reservation at the Eleanor Henry Reed Collection Study Center. You can also look at many of the artworks online. These resources help students and anyone interested learn more about the art.
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Perspectival view of Henry Art Gallery
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South elevation view as designed by Bebb and Gould, before additions by Gwathmey Siegel
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Henry Art Gallery facing 15th Ave
The Brink Award
The Brink Award was a special art prize. It was given every two years to a new artist. The artist had to be from Washington, Oregon, or British Columbia. The award was worth $12,500. The Henry Art Gallery started this award in 2008. It helped support talented young artists.
Past Winners of the Brink Award
- Isabelle Pauwels (2009)
- Andrew Dadson (2011)
- Anne Fenton (2013)
- Jason Hirata (2015)
- Demian DinéYazhi' (2017)
