Museum of International Folk Art facts for kids
| MOIFA | |
Museum of International Folk Art
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| Established | 1953 |
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| Location | Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Type | Folk art |
| Collection size | >135,000 artifacts |
| Public transit access | Santa Fe Trails (bus) |
The Museum of International Folk Art (often called MOIFA) is a special museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. It's run by the state and is part of a group of cultural places managed by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. This museum is famous for having the world's largest collection of international folk art.
Contents
History of the Museum
The Museum of International Folk Art was started by Florence Dibell Bartlett. It first opened its doors to the public in 1953. Since then, it has become very well-known around the world.
What You Can See Inside
The museum has more than 135,000 amazing items! These items are shown in four different parts, or "wings," of the museum. Each wing has its own special focus. The wings are named Bartlett, Girard, Hispanic Heritage, and Neutrogena. The main building was a gift to the state from Florence Dibell Bartlett. It was designed by a famous New Mexico architect named John Gaw Meem.
The Girard Wing: A World of Wonders
The Girard Wing is very popular. It features an exhibition called Multiple Visions: A Common Bond. This exhibit shows folk art, popular art, toys, and textiles from over 100 different countries. What makes it extra special is that the person who donated the collection, Alexander Girard, also designed how it would be displayed. He was a leading architect and designer.
The collection includes many fun things like toys, dolls, costumes, masks, and different kinds of fabrics. You can also see religious folk art, paintings, and beadwork. Since this exhibit opened in 1982, over a million people have visited it! Kids and adults who are young at heart love this exhibit. They often come back to find an old favorite or discover something new. The Multiple Visions: A Common Bond exhibit shows about 10% of the huge collection. It inspires students, artists, and teachers from all over the world.
Other Special Collections
The Museum also has the Neutrogena Collection. This collection was given to the museum in 1995 by Lloyd Cotsen, who used to be the CEO of Neutrogena. It has more than 2,500 textiles, pottery, and carvings from many different places.
The Hispanic Heritage Wing opened in 1988. At that time, it was the only place in New Mexico especially for Spanish and Hispanic art. This wing was updated and reopened in the fall of 2009. It continues to show amazing Hispanic folk art from New Mexico and other areas.
The Bartlett Wing: Changing Exhibits
The Bartlett Wing is named after the museum's founder, Florence Dibell Bartlett. This wing often changes its exhibits. These shows are based on items from the museum's collections or from studies of specific cultures or art forms. Past exhibits in this wing have shown traditions from Turkey, Tibet, and Sweden. They have also featured New Deal era art from New Mexico, recycled objects, mayólica (a type of pottery), ¡CARNAVAL! (a celebration), and even shadow puppets from Indonesia [1] and embroidered dresses from Macedonia [2].
Museum Location
The Museum of International Folk Art is located on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. Every July, the International Folk Art Market Santa Fe is held here. The Museum of International Folk Art shares Milner Plaza with another state-run museum, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology. Close by, you can also find the private Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, and the Santa Fe Botanical Garden.
See also
- Mingei International Museum of World Folk Art, California
- Sallie Wagner
