Huntsville Museum of Art facts for kids
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| Established | 1970 |
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| Location | 300 Church Street Southwest Huntsville, Alabama, USA |
| Type | Art |
The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA) is a fantastic museum located in Huntsville, Alabama. It sits right in Big Spring Park in Downtown Huntsville. This museum is a central spot for cultural activities in the city.
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The Museum's Journey
The idea for the museum started in 1957. A group called the Huntsville Art League and Museum Association (HALMA) was formed. Their goal was to help the arts grow in Huntsville. They also hoped to have a real art museum one day.
The HMA was officially created by the City of Huntsville on August 13, 1970. This happened with a special city rule called Ordinance No. 70-134. This rule set up the Museum Board for the City of Huntsville.
The museum showed its first art exhibition in 1973. In 1975, it moved into its first permanent home. This building was located at the Von Braun Center. The rest of HALMA moved to the Heart of Huntsville Mall.
In 1989, HALMA and the museum officially separated. The museum kept the name Huntsville Museum of Art. The other part became known as the Huntsville Art League (HAL).
The HMA moved to its current building in Big Spring Park in March 1998. This new building had seven art galleries.
Expanding the Museum's Space
The museum grew even bigger in 2010. They added the Davidson Center. This new part brought seven more exhibition galleries. It also included the Stender Family Education Galleries. These are great for learning about art.
The expansion also added four special event rooms. There was also a new parking lot next to the museum. Now, the museum building is very large. It covers 75,034 square feet. It has fourteen galleries that display art. These galleries cover 20,000 square feet.
The museum is also part of a special group. It is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museums program. This means if you are a member here, you might get into other museums for free!
Exploring the Art Collection
The Huntsville Museum of Art has a permanent collection of nearly 3,000 art pieces. A permanent collection means these artworks usually stay at the museum. They are not just visiting for a short time.
The collection is split into two main groups. One group focuses on American art and artists from the region. The other group has art from Asia, Africa, and Europe. These international artworks often influenced American artists. Private donations and different foundations helped the collection grow.
Famous Artists and Unique Artworks
Visitors can see amazing prints and drawings at the museum. These include works by famous artists like James McNeill Whistler and Andy Warhol. You can also find art by John French Sloan, Joseph Stella, and Robert Rauschenberg.
The museum also shows art by talented artists from Alabama. These include Richmond Burton, Nall Hollis, David Parrish, and Stephen Rolfe Powell. There is also a special collection of Southern photography. It has over 200 photos.
The museum has also collected art that is important to Huntsville. This includes pieces related to its scientific community. For example, there are watercolors of Huntsville and the Marshall Space Flight Center. These were painted by Renato Moncini. He worked for NASA as an illustrator for the Apollo program. Another cool piece is Moonwalk by Andy Warhol.
You can also find European and Japanese prints. There are beautiful Chinese glassware items. The museum also has interesting African sculptures.
The Huntsville Museum of Art is also known for two very special collections. It has the largest collection of animal figures made from silver in the world! Plus, it displays beautiful Italian jewelry. This jewelry was created by Gianmaria Buccellati.
