Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art facts for kids
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| Former name | Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art |
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| Established | 2016 |
| Location | 26 Wooster Street, New York City, New York |
| Type | Art museum |
| Accreditation | American Alliance of Museums |
| Collection size | 30,000 |
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| Owner | Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation |
The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art (LLMA) is a unique art museum located in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. It is the only museum in the world that focuses on art created by LGBTQ artists or art that explores LGBTQ+ life and experiences. LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.
The museum is run by the Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation. It holds a huge collection of over 30,000 items, including paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures. The museum officially opened in 2016 and is a member of the American Alliance of Museums, following its high standards for museums.
Contents
History of the Museum
How It All Started
The museum began with two art collectors, J. Frederic "Fritz" Lohman and Charles W. Leslie. They loved art and started collecting pieces that showed the lives of gay people. In 1969, they held their first art show in their own home in New York City.
Soon after, they opened a public art gallery. However, they had to close it in the 1980s during a major health crisis that affected many people, including artists.
Becoming a Foundation
In 1987, Lohman and Leslie wanted to make sure their art collection would be safe forever. They decided to create a nonprofit foundation. A nonprofit is an organization that uses its money to work towards a goal, not to make a profit.
It took a few years to get approval. The government at the time was not sure about the word "gay" in the foundation's name. Finally, in 1990, the Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation was officially created.
The foundation first operated out of a small basement space. In 2006, it moved to its current, larger location on Wooster Street. In 2016, it was officially recognized as a museum by New York State.
What's Inside the Museum
The Permanent Collection
The museum has a Permanent Collection with more than 1,300 special artworks. This collection includes pieces by many famous artists who were part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Some of the well-known artists featured are Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Berenice Abbott, Catherine Opie, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Jean Cocteau. Their work helps tell the story of the LGBTQ+ experience through art.
Programs and Learning
The Leslie-Lohman Museum is a busy place. It holds many art shows each year in its different gallery spaces. The museum invites guest curators to create these shows, which keeps the exhibits fresh and interesting.
Besides art shows, the museum offers many educational programs. It hosts talks by artists and experts, shows films, and holds book signings. There is also a library with over 2,500 books about LGBTQ+ art. The museum even travels its exhibitions to other cities, like Berlin, Germany.
The museum works with other famous institutions, like the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution, to borrow and lend artworks for special exhibits.
How the Museum is Run
The Leslie-Lohman Museum is managed by a Board of Directors. It has a team of full-time employees and also gets help from many volunteers. The museum is funded by donations from people and foundations who believe in its mission. It also gets money from its membership program. Most of the new art for the collection is donated by artists and collectors.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Leslie-Lohman para niños
- LGBT culture in New York City
