Nasher Museum of Art facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nasher Museum of Art |
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| General information | |
| Type | Art museum |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| Location | 2001 Campus Drive Central Campus, Duke University |
| Coordinates | 35°59′56.63″N 78°55′44.59″W / 35.9990639°N 78.9290528°W |
| Named for | Raymond Nasher |
| Completed | 2005 |
| Opened | 1969 |
| Cost | $24 million |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Rafael Viñoly |
The Nasher Museum of Art is the art museum for Duke University. It is located on Duke's campus in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Before 2005, it was known as the Duke University Museum of Art.
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History of the Museum
In 1936, an art collector named William Hayes Ackland wanted to donate his art collection. He wrote to three universities, including Duke. Duke University's president, William Preston Few, liked the idea. He even made plans for an art museum at Duke.
However, after both Few and Ackland passed away, Duke decided not to accept the art gift. The reasons for this are still not known. Ackland's collection eventually went to another place. This led to the creation of the Ackland Art Museum elsewhere.
In 1969, Duke University started its own art museum. It was on Duke's East Campus. The first artworks came from the Ernest Brummer Collection. These were mostly medieval art pieces.
Later in the 1900s, people wanted to move the museum. They thought a more central spot would be better. But some professors who studied plants disagreed. They worried the new location would harm a special "botanical study area." This was a field of important plants.
In the early 2000s, the museum got a big gift. It came from a Duke graduate named Raymond Nasher. Because of his help, the museum was renamed the Nasher Museum of Art. A brand new building was opened in 2005. It cost $24 million to build. The famous architect Rafael Viñoly designed the modern building.
Since its reopening, the museum has become very popular. About 100,000 people visit it every year. Many people helped the museum grow. Mary D.B.T. and James H. Semans were big supporters. From 1987 to 2003, Michael Mezzatesta was the director. He helped oversee the building of the new museum. Sarah Schroth was the director from 2013 to 2020.
Art Collection
The Nasher Museum has a large and diverse art collection. It holds more than 13,000 works of art. The museum focuses on showing contemporary art from all over the world. They pay special attention to artists who have not always been widely recognized.
Some of the many artists whose work is in the collection include Ai Weiwei, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Kerry James Marshall, Wangechi Mutu, Amy Sherald, and Kehinde Wiley.
The museum also has a strong collection of Pre-Columbian art. This means art made before Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. There are about 3,300 objects in this part of the collection. It includes many important Mayan ceramics and Peruvian textiles.
Special Exhibitions
The Nasher Museum often hosts special art shows called exhibitions. These shows bring together unique artworks for a limited time.
The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl
September 2, 2010 – February 6, 2011
This exhibition was the first of its kind in a museum. It explored how vinyl records are used in modern art. The show brought together 41 artists from around the world. These artists used records as their main subject or even as the material for their art. The exhibition mixed different types of art. It combined modern art with art made by self-taught artists. It also blended sounds with visuals, and fine art with popular culture. Some artists in the show included Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Christian Marclay, and Carrie Mae Weems.
Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool
February 7, 2008 – July 13, 2008
This exhibition was the first major show looking back at the career of American artist Barkley L. Hendricks. It featured his paintings from 1964 up to the time of the exhibition. The show later traveled to other museums across the United States.
El Greco to Velazquez: Art during the Reign of Philip III
August 21, 2008 – November 9, 2008
The Nasher Museum worked with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston for this important exhibition. It was the first show in the U.S. to focus on Spanish art from 1598 to 1621. This period is between the late works of El Greco and the early paintings of Velázquez. The exhibition showed about 120 paintings, sculptures, and decorative art pieces. It included works from famous museums around the world. Many of these artworks rarely leave their home countries.
