Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts facts for kids
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| Established | 1930 |
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| Location | Montgomery, Alabama, USA |
| Type | Art Museum |
The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is an exciting museum in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. It has many different art collections for everyone to enjoy. You can see American paintings and sculpture from the 1800s and 1900s. There's also art from the Southern region, old prints, and beautiful decorative items.
One of the coolest parts is Artworks. This is a special gallery and studio where kids can get hands-on with art. The current museum building was finished in 1988. It was designed by a local architecture firm. A new part was added in 1993.
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A Look Back: The Museum's Story
The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts started in 1930. Its main goal was to find, keep, show, and explain amazing art. They wanted to make art fun and educational for everyone. It is the oldest fine arts museum in all of Alabama. It was also the first museum in Alabama to be officially recognized by the American Alliance of Museums in 1978.
The museum moved to its current spot in Blount Cultural Park in 1988. The museum's main collection includes paintings, sculptures, and drawings. These artworks are by famous national artists and talented regional artists. A big part of the American art collection is called the Blount Collection. It has 41 paintings, including works by John Singer Sargent, Edward Hopper, and Winslow Homer.
The museum also has a collection of "Old Master" prints. These include works by famous artists like Rembrandt, Dürer, and Whistler. The museum often hosts new art shows. These shows feature art from all over the world and works by modern artists.
The museum has a library with over 4,000 books, magazines, and videos about art. Anyone can use it for information or research. A very popular program is ARTWORKS. This is an interactive gallery where you can learn about art through hands-on activities. Over 60,000 people visit ARTWORKS every year!
The museum also offers many other fun programs for young people. These include puppet shows for preschoolers. Every third-grade student in Montgomery Public Schools gets a special tour. There are also after-school programs for kids who need them. High school students can even take an AP Art History Course to earn college credit. The museum offers workshops, tours, and talks for all ages. About half of the museum's 160,000 yearly visitors join in an educational program.
The city and county of Montgomery provide about two-thirds of the museum's yearly money. The rest comes from the MMFA Association, which is a private support group. Most of this money comes from people and companies who become museum members. The museum also earns money from its gift shop, special events, and program fees.
The museum recently raised $8 million to help its future and expand its building. A new Education Wing opened in March 2007. This new wing added more gallery space. It also doubled the size of the ARTWORKS interactive gallery and studio. This expansion helps the museum welcome even more visitors. The museum is also part of the North American Reciprocal Museums program.
In 2018, the museum opened the John and Joyce Caddell Sculpture Garden. This outdoor art space is three acres big and is part of the park next door. It shows amazing sculptures from all over the world.
Exploring the Art: Galleries and Collections
The museum has several special galleries and collections. Here are some of the artworks you might see:
Hudson and Krenshaw Galleries
- Jacques Amans, Portrait of J.A. Rozier
- Adolph Weinman, Rising Day
- Adolph Weinman, Descending Night
The Blount Collection
- John Singer Sargent, Mrs. Louis E. Raphael (Henriette Goldschmidt) (around 1906)
- John Singleton Copley, Joseph Henshaw (around 1770–1774)
- John Sloan, Grand Central Station (1924)
Beautiful Decorative Arts
- Worcester Porcelain Factory, Tankard (1754–1755)
- Worcester Porcelain Factory, Teapot and Cover (around 1758–1760)
The Young Gallery
- Dale Kennington, Long Day, Late Night (2002–2004)
Amazing Studio Glass
- Robin Grebe, Sybil (2006)
- William Morris, Reliquary Vessel (1998)
Outdoor Art: The Sculpture Garden
- Adam Bodine, What You Say (2012)
- Craigger Browne and Marcello Giorgi, Nostra Luna (2019)
- Deborah Butterfield, Isbelle (2001)
- Patrick Dougherty, Rough and Tumble (2020)
- Casey Downing, Jr., Circular (2018)
- Christopher Fennell, Skate Leaves, (2018)
- Randy Gachet, Hollow Sphere Theory (2018)
- Jamey Grimes, Teraxacum (2019)
- Joe Minter, The Sweat of the Mule and the Sharecropper (no date)
- Joe Minter, Tools of the Sharecropper (no date)
- Joe Minter, The Next Generation of Sharecroppers (no date)
- Joe Minter, The Zulu Chief Surrounded by Four Warriors (no date)
- Chris Boyd Taylor, Stadium Sphere no. 1 (2018)
- Craig Wedderspoon, Oval (2018)
- Jessie Duncan Wiggin, Untitled (Nymph) (1933)
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Bellas Artes de Montgomery para niños
- Alabama Shakespeare Festival, also in Montgomery's Blount Cultural Park
- Ray Burggraf
Images for kids
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Another lakeside view of the museum.
