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 a cool art museum located at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, USA. It used to be called the Duke University Museum of Art. This museum is a great place to explore art from different times and places!
Contents
History of the Nasher Museum
The idea for an art museum at Duke University started way back in 1936. A man named William Hayes Ackland, who loved collecting art, wanted to give his collection to a university. The president of Duke University, William Preston Few, was interested. He even had plans drawn up for a museum!
However, after both Few and Ackland passed away, Duke University decided not to accept the gift. The reasons for this are still a bit of a mystery. Because of this, Ackland's collection eventually went to another place, which became the Ackland Art Museum.
In 1969, Duke University finally opened its own art museum. It was called the Duke University Museum of Art. It started on Duke's East Campus with some interesting medieval art pieces.
Later on, people wanted to move the museum to a more central spot on campus. Some professors were worried because the new location would affect a special area where they studied plants.
In the early 2000s, something big happened! Thanks to a generous gift from a Duke graduate named Raymond Nasher, the museum got a brand new building. It cost $24 million and was designed by a famous architect named Rafael Viñoly. When the new building opened in 2005, the museum was renamed the Nasher Museum of Art. Since then, about 100,000 people visit the museum every year!
Many people helped the museum grow. Mary Semans, who was related to the Duke family, and James H. Semans were big supporters. Michael P. Mezzatesta was the museum's director from 1987 to 2003. He helped a lot with getting the new building built. Today, Sarah Schroth is the director of the museum.
What You Can See: The Collection
The Nasher Museum has a huge collection of art! There are more than 13,000 artworks in total. The museum loves to show off contemporary art, which means art made in our time. They especially focus on artists who haven't always had their work shown as much in other museums.
You can find amazing pieces by artists like Nina Chanel Abney, Ai Weiwei, Kerry James Marshall, Wangechi Mutu, and Kehinde Wiley. The museum also has a really strong collection of Pre-Columbian art. This is art made by ancient cultures in Central and South America before Christopher Columbus arrived. They have about 3,300 of these objects, including cool Mayan pottery and Peruvian textiles.
Special Art Shows: Exhibitions
The Nasher Museum often hosts special art shows called exhibitions. These shows bring together unique artworks for a limited time. Here are a few examples of past exhibitions:
The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl
This exhibition ran from September 2, 2010, to February 6, 2011. It was the first museum show ever to explore how vinyl records connect with modern art. It brought together 41 artists from around the world. They used records as their main subject or even as part of their artwork! The show mixed different kinds of art, like fine art and popular culture. Some artists featured included Laurie Anderson, Christian Marclay, and Carrie Mae Weems.
Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool
This show was open from February 7, 2008, to July 13, 2008. It was the first big show looking back at the painting career of American artist Barkley L. Hendricks. You could see his paintings from 1964 all the way up to the present day. This exhibition also traveled to other museums across the United States.
El Greco to Velazquez: Art during the Reign of Philip III
This exhibition took place from August 21, 2008, to November 9, 2008. The Nasher Museum worked with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston to create this special show. It was the first time in the U.S. that an exhibition focused on Spanish art from 1598 to 1621.
The show featured famous artists like El Greco and Diego Velázquez. It included about 120 paintings, sculptures, and decorative art pieces from 20 different artists. Many of these artworks came from famous museums around the world, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museo del Prado. It was a rare chance for people in America to see them!
