Joslyn Art Museum facts for kids
The Fountain Court in Joslyn Art Museum.
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| Established | 1931 |
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| Location | Omaha, Nebraska, United States |
| Type | Art museum |
The Joslyn Art Museum is a cool art museum in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It first opened in 1931. Sarah H. Joslyn started it to honor her husband, George A. Joslyn. The museum has grown a lot since then, with many new parts added. It is the only museum in Nebraska with such a large and varied art collection. You can see amazing American and European art from the 1800s and 1900s here.
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Meet George and Sarah Joslyn
George and Sarah Joslyn moved to Omaha in 1880. George started his own printing business called the Western Newspaper Union. This company became very successful. It provided news for thousands of people across the United States. This is how George Joslyn became very wealthy. He was known for being a generous person, but also a tough businessman.
George and Sarah loved art, especially music. When George passed away in 1916, Sarah wanted to create a special building to remember him. This building would show their love for the arts. It would also be a gift to the people of Omaha. Sarah Joslyn created a group called the Society of Liberal Arts. Their goal was to build and run the Joslyn Memorial building. This building officially became the Joslyn Art Museum in 1987.
Sarah Joslyn passed away in 1940. She left money to help keep the museum running. This money was also used to buy new art and make the museum's collection even bigger.
The Museum's Amazing Building History
Construction on the Joslyn Memorial building began in 1928. The Joslyns loved music, so the building was first planned as a concert hall. Later, art galleries were added because many art groups in Omaha suggested it.
The museum is a large and impressive Art Deco building. It was designed by John and Alan McDonald. John McDonald was a friend of the Joslyns. He also designed their home, the Joslyn Castle. The museum's Art Deco style was inspired by Egyptian temples and the Nebraska State Capitol. The building is made of beautiful pink marble from Georgia. Inside, you can see 38 different types of marble from all over the world.
The outside of the building has cool decorative panels. These were made by sculptor John David Brcin. They show the people of the Great Plains, including Native American tribes and European settlers. There are eight panels in total. The words carved on the building were written by Hartley Burr Alexander. Sarah Joslyn gave $2.6 million to build the museum. She also left money to help maintain it.
The Joslyn Memorial building opened in 1931. It had art galleries, a concert hall, classrooms, and a fountain atrium. In 1938, it was named one of the top 100 buildings in the United States.
Years later, the museum needed more space for its art and staff. In the 1960s, director Eugene Kingman wanted the Joslyn to be like the "Smithsonian of Omaha." He imagined it as a place for both science and art. He wanted to add a science museum and a planetarium. This plan didn't happen because of a lack of money. However, Kingman saved many historical items. These were later given to other museums in Omaha. After he left, the Joslyn focused strongly on art again.
In 1987, the Joslyn traded land with Omaha Central High School. The museum gained land to the east for a sculpture garden and more parking. The high school got land for a new football stadium.
In 1994, the first big addition to the museum was built. It was designed by Lord Norman Foster and called the Scott Pavilion. The outside of this new part used the same pink Georgian marble as the original building. This made the addition blend in perfectly. This expansion cost $15.95 million. It added modern art galleries, a cafe, offices, and a beautiful glass atrium. This atrium connects the new part to the old building. Other parts of the original building, like restrooms and the concert hall, were also updated.
In 2008, work began on the Joslyn Museum Sculpture Gardens. These gardens opened in the summer of 2009. They feature art from local and national artists. They also have a reflecting pool and a waterfall. The gardens hosted the "Jazz on the Green" festival for a few years.
In 2018, the museum announced its next big addition: the Rhonda and Howard Hawks Pavilion. The museum closed in spring 2022 for this construction. It plans to reopen in 2024. This new space will add 42,000 square feet. It will include more galleries, classrooms, a new gift shop, and community spaces. The outside of the new pavilion looks like a cloud, representing the Great Plains. It will also have small pink flecks to match the rest of the museum. This addition will create a new main entrance for visitors.
Visiting the Museum: Admission Fees
When the Joslyn Memorial first opened in 1931, it was free to enter. This continued until 1965, when a small fee of 25 cents was added. Over time, the price went up. In 1987, adults paid two dollars, and kids paid one dollar. By 2010, admission was eight dollars for adults.
However, in 2013, the museum went back to its original idea of free admission! This was made possible by a grant from the Sherwood Foundation. The museum believed it could make up the money in other ways. Admission fees only made up a small part of the museum's total income. As of its temporary closure in 2022 for renovations, admission remained free.
Exploring the Art Collections
When the Joslyn Memorial first opened, it needed art to fill its galleries. Many groups and people donated art. The Art Institute of Omaha and the Friends of Art gave paintings. A local business owner, Charles Nelson Dietz, donated his personal collection in 1934. After Sarah's death, directors Paul Grummann and Harold Parsons bought European art. Eugene Kingman, another director, added Greek vases and art from Indigenous cultures. In 1986, the Karl Bodmer collection became a permanent part of the museum. In recent years, the Joslyn has added many modern and contemporary pieces. The Phillip G. Schrager collection will be in the new Hawks Pavilion.
Here are some of the main art collections you can see at the Joslyn Art Museum:
- Ancient Art: This collection includes Greek pottery and statues from Greek, Roman, and Egyptian times.
- European Art: You can see works from the 1500s and 1600s by famous artists like Veronese, Titian, and Rembrandt. The 1800s collection has Romantic art by Delacroix, realist art by Gustave Courbet, and Impressionist works by Monet and Renoir.
- American Art: This includes early American portraits and works by painters of the Hudson River School. You'll also find realist art by Winslow Homer and impressionist works by Childe Hassam.
- Native American Art: This collection features both traditional works and art influenced by European styles.
- Art of the American West: See works by Swiss artist Karl Bodmer from his journey to the Missouri River in the 1830s. Also, art by Alfred Jacob Miller showing the American West.
- Latin American Art: Important works here include paintings of saints and pottery.
- Post-War and Contemporary Art (20th century): This section has paintings and sculptures by artists like Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, and George Segal. It shows important American art movements like Regionalism and Abstract Expressionism.
- Asian Art: This collection mostly has ancient Asian sculptures from the 2nd to the 19th centuries.
Outdoor Sculpture Gardens
The museum also has beautiful outdoor sculpture gardens.
Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden
- Oedipus at Colonnus (1968) by Leonard Baskin
- Untitled (2005) by Jun Kaneko
- Bronze Bench #5 (2005) by Betty Woodman
- Dineh (1981) by Allen Houser
- Spirit of the Dance (1932) by William Zorach
- Large Covered Wagon (2004) by Tom Otterness
- One of the Burghers of Calais (1987) by Auguste Rodin
- Double-Sided Settee (A Trio) (1983) by Scott Burton
- Addih-Hiddisch, Hidatsa Chief (2008) by John Coleman
- Sioux Warrior (2008) by John David Brcin
- The Omaha Riverscape (2008-2009) by Jesús Moroles
Discover Garden
- Noodles & Doodles by Smith Bourne and Associates Inc.
- Folded Square Alphabet O (1987) by Fletcher Benton
- Metamorphosis by Benard Matemera
- Yellow Ascending (1977) by George Sugarman
- Pencil Bench (2009) by Ron Parks
- 22 1/2 Degrees with Crayon Tips (2009) by Ron Parks
- Cubular (2009) by Peter McClenon Carter
Other Outdoor Sculpture
- Able Charlie (1983) by Kenneth Snelson
- Untitled (1981) by John Henry
- Pawn (1980) by Sidney Buchanan
- Generations (2007) by Josiah Manzi
Recent Exhibitions
The Joslyn Art Museum often has special temporary exhibitions. Here are some recent ones that were shown after the COVID-19 pandemic and before the new construction started:
- Allison Janae Hamilton: Recent Works (February 5–May 1, 2002)
- Yuyi Morales: Soñadora (January 15–April 17, 2022)
- Ninety Years of Joslyn Art Museum (October 27, 2021–May 1, 2022)
- Faces from the Interior: The North American Portraits of Karl Bodmer (October 2, 2021–May 1, 2022)
- American Art Deco: Designing for the People. 1918-1939 (June 5–September 5, 2021)
- Wendy Red Star (January 30–April 25, 2021)
- Revisiting America: The Prints of Currier & Ives (November 21, 2020–April 11, 2021)
Images for kids
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The Walter & Suzanne Scott Pavilion
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During construction of the sculpture garden; summer 2008.
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Jazz on the Green, summer 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Arte Joslyn para niños
- Joslyn Castle, the place where the Joslyn family lived.
