New Orleans Museum of Art facts for kids
Roy Lichtenstein's "Five Brushstrokes"
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| Established | 1911 |
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| Location | One Collins C. Diboll Circle, City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 70124 |
The New Orleans Museum of Art, also known as NOMA, is the oldest art museum in New Orleans. You can find it inside City Park. It's close to where Carrollton Avenue and Esplanade Avenue meet. It's also near the end of the "Canal Street - City Park" streetcar line. The museum first opened in 1911 as the Delgado Museum of Art.
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About the Museum
The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) was started with money from a kind person named Isaac Delgado. He was a rich sugar broker and art collector. Part of the museum building was designed by Benjamin Morgan Harrod, who used to be the chief engineer of New Orleans.
When Isaac Delgado was 71, he wrote to the City Park Board. He wanted to build an art museum in New Orleans. He offered to pay for a "fire proof building" where art could be shown. He hoped people would donate or lend their artworks. The board agreed and gave him a spot in the park.
The Isaac Delgado Museum of Art opened on December 11, 1911. Sadly, Delgado was too sick to attend the opening. He passed away soon after, on January 4, 1912.
In the early 1970s, the museum added the Wisner Education Wing. This was a three-story addition. In 1993, NOMA had a big expansion and renovation project. This made the museum much larger and helped it get more amazing art. Because of these changes, NOMA became one of the top art museums in the country. Today, it is known for showing many special and rare art exhibits.
The Sculpture Garden
NOMA also has the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. This is a beautiful outdoor area behind the main museum building. It is about 11.5 acres (4.7 hectares) in size.
The garden is gated and has over 90 modern and contemporary sculptures. These artworks are placed among old oak trees, pine trees, and magnolia trees. You can also find camellias, lagoons, several bridges, and a walking path. It's a great place to explore art outdoors.
What Else is at NOMA?
The museum has a shop called the NOMA Museum Shop. You can buy souvenirs and art-related items there. There's also an auditorium where they show films and host talks. Artists often come to speak, and there are panels and presentations. If you get hungry, you can visit Café NOMA, a restaurant run by Ralph Brennan.
Even though City Park was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the museum itself is built on high ground. This meant that only the basement flooded. Most of the museum's important art collection was safe from the storm.
Art Collection
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NOMA's permanent collection has more than 40,000 art pieces. These artworks cover 5,000 years of history, from the Italian Renaissance to modern times.
The museum is famous for its European and American art. You can see works by famous artists like Degas, Monet, Renoir, and Picasso. Other well-known artists include Pissarro, Rodin, Braque, Dufy, Miró, Jackson Pollock, Mary Cassatt, and Georgia O'Keeffe.
NOMA has a great collection of French art. This includes several important paintings by the French Impressionist Edgar Degas. He painted these works when he lived with his mother's family in New Orleans between 1871 and 1872.
The museum also shows art by local Louisiana artists and other American artists. It has a large collection of art photography, with over 12,000 works. These photos show the history of photography from its beginning until today.
Other collections include:
- Glass and ceramics
- Tiny portrait paintings
- Native American Art
- Art from Central America from ancient times and the Spanish era
- Chinese ceramics
- Japanese painting
- Indian sculpture
- Folk art from Africa, Indonesia, and the South Pacific
Special Events and Programs
NOMA often works with other local museums. These include The Historic New Orleans Collection and the Louisiana State Museum. Together, they create special art exhibitions.
In the past, NOMA has shown amazing exhibits like:
- Treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb.
- Items from Alexander the Great's time.
- Artifacts from the Louisiana Purchase.
- A special show about Edgar Degas's time in Louisiana.
- "Femme! Femme! Femme!" which showed women in 18th-century French paintings.
- "Carneval!" which focused on pre-Lent festivals, including Mardi Gras.
- Exhibitions about the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
The museum offers many programs for visitors. You can take guided group tours. Teachers can join workshops and use online guides. NOMA also has a "pop-up" museum called NOMA+ that visits local schools and community centers.
NOMA hosts many fun events. These include festivals, film screenings, and music programs. They also have lectures and wellness activities.
See also
- JAMNOLA (museum)
