Mendel Art Gallery facts for kids
Mendel Art Gallery and Civic Conservatory
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| Established | October 16, 1964 |
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| Dissolved | June 7, 2015 |
| Location | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Type | Art museum and conservatory |
| Collection size | 7,500 |
| Visitors | 180,000 (2010) |
The Mendel Art Gallery was a very important art and culture spot in City Park, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was open from 1964 to 2015. This gallery held a huge collection of over 7,500 pieces of art. The city of Saskatoon managed the gallery. It also managed the Saskatoon Civic Conservatory, which was like its partner.
By 1999, the Mendel Art Gallery was one of the biggest public art galleries in Canada. It had many visitors, with over 180,000 people coming in 2010. Plans to make the gallery bigger started in the 2000s. However, the city decided to build a brand new art museum instead. The Mendel Art Gallery closed its doors on June 7, 2015. Its art collection was moved to the new museum, called the Remai Modern. The Remai Modern opened in October 2017.
How the Mendel Art Gallery Started
The Mendel Art Gallery grew from an earlier place called the Saskatoon Art Centre. This art centre first opened in 1944. It moved a few times before finding its permanent home. A kind man named Frederick "Fred" Salomon Mendel helped make the gallery possible. He came to Canada as a refugee. He started a successful food company in Saskatoon.
In 1960, Fred Mendel decided to give money to the city. This gift was to help build a public art museum. The Province of Saskatchewan also gave money to match his donation. In 1965, he gave 15 artworks by a famous Canadian art group called the Group of Seven. These paintings became the very first pieces in the gallery's permanent collection.
The gallery building was designed in a modern style. It opened on October 16, 1964. The Civic Conservatory, a greenhouse full of plants, was built at the same time. This was suggested by the mayor at the time, S. L. Buckwold. The gallery building was made even bigger in 1975.
In September 2006, the gallery had a small fire. It caused some smoke and water damage. The gallery reopened nine weeks later. After that, it focused more on art from all over Canada and the world.
A New Chapter: Remai Modern
By 2009, the Mendel Art Gallery building was getting too small. It also needed expensive repairs. So, the people in charge decided to build a new, larger art gallery. This new gallery would be in a different location. The new gallery is called the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan. It was named after the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation, who gave a lot of money for it.
The new gallery was designed by special architects. It was planned to open in 2015, but it opened later in October 2017. The decision to close the Mendel Gallery and build a new one was a big topic of discussion. Some people, like former mayor Henry Dayday, wanted the public to vote on it.
What Happened to the Building?
The Mendel Art Gallery closed its doors on June 7, 2015. This was to get ready for the new Remai Modern. The City of Saskatoon approved plans for a Children's Discovery Museum to move into the old Mendel building. This museum is now called the Nutrien Wonderhub. It opened in the former gallery space in June 2019.
