Montclair Art Museum facts for kids
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| Established | Chartered 1909; opened 1914 |
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| Location | Montclair, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Type | Art museum |
| Collections | Native American, American, Contemporary |
| Public transit access | NJ Transit (bus and rail), Walnut Street Station; DeCamp Bus Lines |
The Montclair Art Museum (MAM) is a cool place in Montclair. It's in Essex County, New Jersey. The museum has a huge collection of over 12,000 art pieces. These artworks show off American art and Native North American art.
MAM wants to inspire people and help them learn. It does this through fun programs, art classes, and special art shows. The museum helps bring the community together through art.
The Montclair Art Museum opened in 1914. It was the first museum in New Jersey that was open to everyone. It was also the first museum in the state just for art. The building itself is special. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This means it's an important historical building because of its art and design.
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Amazing Art Collections
The Montclair Art Museum is one of the few museums in the United States that focuses on American art and Native American art. It has more than 12,000 artworks!
American Art
The American art collection includes paintings, drawings, photos, and sculptures. These pieces date from the 1700s all the way to today. You can see how American art has changed over many years.
Native American Art
The museum also has a large collection of Native American art. This includes historical and modern pieces. You can find beautiful textiles, pottery, beadwork, and jewelry. There are also wood carvings, paintings, and sculptures. Many of these items were collected by a famous dealer named Grace Nicholson.
George Inness Gallery
MAM has a very special gallery just for the artist George Inness. He was a 19th-century American painter. Inness lived in Montclair from 1885 to 1894. He painted many of his famous landscapes right in the area.
The museum has 21 of his paintings, two watercolors, and an etching. Experts say these Inness paintings are the "crown" of the museum's collection. The gallery also shows works by sculptor William Couper. He also lived in Montclair for many years.
Featured Artists
The museum's collection includes works by many famous artists. Here are just a few you might recognize:
- Josef Albers
- Romare Bearden
- Alexander Calder
- Thomas Cole
- Willem de Kooning
- Thomas Eakins
- Winslow Homer
- Edward Hopper
- George Inness
- Roy Lichtenstein
- Man Ray
- Georgia O'Keeffe
- John Singer Sargent
- Andy Warhol
- James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Museum History
Montclair used to be a small farming town. But when the railroad arrived in the 1830s, it grew into a busy suburb. Many artists started to move there.
Montclair's Art Community
The famous landscape painter George Inness moved to Montclair in 1885. He lived there until he passed away in 1894. The New York Times even called Montclair "the home of more prominent artists and wealthy art connoisseurs" than any other place in New Jersey.
Other artists also lived and worked in Montclair. They included illustrators like Harry Fenn and Charles Parsons. Sculptors like Jonathan Scott Hartley and William Couper also called Montclair home. These artists lived in Montclair all year round.
How the Museum Started
In 1908, a group called the Municipal Art Commission was formed. Its goal was to make Montclair more beautiful. The head of this group was William T. Evans. He was a very rich businessman who loved art.
Evans owned a huge collection of American paintings. In 1909, he offered to donate 26 paintings to Montclair. But he said the town needed to build a special fireproof gallery for them. The town voted against this idea in 1910.
A Museum Built by the Community
After the town said no, the Municipal Art Commission decided to create a museum without government help. They formed the Montclair Art Association. Raising money was hard at first.
Then, a Montclair resident named Florence Rand Lang stepped in. She gave a huge gift of $50,000. This money helped buy the land and start building the museum. Over the next 30 years, she gave more than $250,000. She also left a lot of money to the museum in her will. Florence Lang's family made their fortune from a company called Rand Drill Company.
The First Building
The museum needed a special building for its art. Michel Le Brun, a museum trustee, hired Albert Randolph Ross to design it. Ross designed a beautiful neoclassical building.
The Montclair Art Museum officially opened on January 15, 1914. It was a big deal! It was the first public art museum in New Jersey.
At its opening, the museum had two main collections. William T. Evans donated 54 paintings and 2 sculptures. These included works by George Inness and Childe Hassam. Florence Rand Lang donated a collection of Native American art that her mother had gathered. This collection had hundreds of objects. It included baskets, clothing, jewelry, and household items.
Growing and Changing
The museum's collection has grown a lot over the years. More art has been bought and donated. In 1922, the museum even let Montclair residents vote on which artwork to buy next!
The museum building has also expanded. In 1924, a front porch and mezzanine were added. A new East Wing was built in 1931 to hold the Rand Collection of Native American art. The museum doubled its size with a big renovation in 2000-2001.
Special Exhibitions and Programs
MAM often has special art shows that connect its two main collections. For example, one show explored how artist Albert Bierstadt painted meetings between European settlers and Native Americans. It used the museum's Native American art to create interesting conversations.
Another show, "Roy Lichtenstein: American Indian Encounters," looked at how a 20th-century artist used Native American art in his work. He even made a funny version of a famous Indian head coin.
Local and International Shows
MAM also features shows that highlight its local area. It works with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts to show art by local artists. For example, one show in 2012 featured art that used technology.
In 2009, MAM helped organize a big show called "Cézanne and American Modernism." It had 131 artworks, including 18 by the famous artist Cézanne. The museum said it was the "largest, most ambitious exhibition" in its history.
Celebrating 100 Years
As the museum got ready for its 100th birthday in 2014, it worked to raise more money. It also put on a show of modern sculptures. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the museum lit up a new art installation by Spencer Finch called Yellow. It made the museum's windows glow with a soft light.
Other Fun Programs
The museum offers many educational programs for people of all ages. There are activities for toddlers, kids, teens, and even senior citizens.
Yard School of Art
MAM has its own art school called the Yard School of Art. It offers many different classes. Kids, teens, adults, and even professional artists can take classes there. You can learn all sorts of art techniques!
The Art Truck
In 2014, MAM started a cool new program called the Art Truck. It's an old ice cream truck that was fixed up. The Art Truck brings art teachers and supplies to different places. It holds open art classes at town pools, senior centers, festivals, and farmers markets. It's a great way to bring art to the community!
See also
