Newcomb Art Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1996 |
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| Location | Tulane University, New Orleans |
| Type | Art Museum |
| Public transit access | St. Charles Streetcar Line, Tulane University/Audubon Park and Zoo stop |
The Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane University is a cool art museum you can find at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It's inside the Woldenberg Art Center.
For a long time, the museum was famous for its amazing collection of Newcomb Pottery and other crafts. These items were made at Newcomb College. The museum also takes care of all the art collections belonging to the university.
Since 2014, the museum has started to focus more on special art shows and programs. These events often explore art that helps people think about society, talk about important topics, and make communities better.
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's Story
How Newcomb College Started
In 1886, a college just for women was created. It was called H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College. Josephine Louise Newcomb started it to honor her daughter, Sophie.
This college was special because it was the first national college for women that worked alongside a men's university. Newcomb College taught women important design skills. This helped them create beautiful decorative arts.
Protecting the College's Future
Mrs. Newcomb set up a special fund, called an endowment, to make sure the women's college would last forever. In the 1970s, during tough economic times, Tulane University wanted to use this money for the whole university.
Later, in the 1980s, there was a plan to close Newcomb College and make it part of Tulane University. But, during the college's 100th birthday party in 1986, many graduates met. They wanted to make sure the original fund was used as intended. They also wanted to keep Newcomb College strong.
In the end, the leaders of Tulane University agreed to keep H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College. They also created a special group to manage the Newcomb fund.
The Idea for an Art Museum
During this time, Mignon Faget, a jewelry artist from New Orleans, had a great idea. She was part of the group trying to save the college. She suggested creating an art museum. This museum would keep the history of Newcomb's art program alive. It would also help make sure Newcomb College would always be remembered.
In the early 1990s, a grant from Joyce Frank Menschel, another Newcomb graduate, helped make this museum idea happen.
Opening the Newcomb Art Gallery
In 1996, the Newcomb Art Gallery officially opened! The Newcomb Art Department had just finished a big update and renovation. They added a large 3,600-square-foot (330 m2) space just for art shows. This space was made to bring modern and historical art to students and the New Orleans community. The gallery became its own section within the School of Liberal Arts.
After Hurricane Katrina
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage. The gallery's offices were flooded with four feet of water. Luckily, most of the art was safe.
After the hurricane, Tulane University closed Newcomb College. The college's special fund was then used for other parts of the university. In 2010, the gallery received an award from the Arts Council of New Orleans for its work in the community.
Becoming a Museum
In 2012, the gallery's leadership changed. It moved from the School of Liberal Arts to work directly under the Office of the Provost. In July 2014, Mónica Ramírez-Montagut became the new director. She led a big change for the museum over the next year.
In July 2015, the Newcomb Art Gallery officially changed its name to the Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane University. This new name helped people know it was a serious art space, not a store selling art. It also showed that the museum had its own important art collections.
Maurita N. Poole became the new director in August 2021.
What You Can See: Exhibitions
The museum usually has about four different art shows each year. These shows are designed to help people share ideas and work together across different subjects. They often feature new and interesting art and design.
The museum has shown art by famous artists like Mickalene Thomas, Pat Steir, KAWS, Joan Mitchell, and Diane Arbus. They also show art by artists connected to Newcomb College, such as Mark Rothko and Ida Kohlmeyer.
To honor the history of art at Newcomb College, the museum often shows art made by women artists. In 2003, the Newcomb Art Museum asked artist Carrie Mae Weems to create a new work. This became her famous "Louisiana Project."
The museum also offers many educational programs. These include talks, movie nights, family art activities led by artists, public tours, performances, and art demonstrations. They also work with other groups in the community.
Special Art Collections
Newcomb Arts and Crafts
The museum has the largest collection of Newcomb arts and crafts in the world. These pieces were made at Newcomb College between 1895 and 1940.
The collection includes many amazing examples of Newcomb pottery. It also has other items from the Arts & Crafts Movement. These include beautiful embroidery, bound books, and metalwork. You can see important pieces made by artists like Sadie Irvine, Harriet Coulter Joor, and Marie de Hoa LeBlanc.
Tiffany Glass Windows
The Tulane University campus has several unique stained-glass windows designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Josephine Louise Newcomb, who started Newcomb College, and her friend Frank Walter Callender ordered most of these windows between 1894 and 1896. They were made for a chapel at Newcomb's old campus.
After Newcomb College moved in 1918, two large stained-glass sets were moved. They are now in the breezeway right in front of the museum. Other Tiffany windows are in the Myra Clare Rogers Memorial Chapel and Tilton Memorial Hall on campus.
Other Artworks
The museum also manages a collection of drawings, watercolors, paintings, sculptures, and prints. Many of these are by artists connected to Newcomb College, like Angela Gregory, Ida Kohlmeyer, and Lynda Benglis.
The university's teaching collection also includes art from Louisiana, classical sculptures, and modern photos and prints. You can see works by famous artists such as Hippolyte Sebron, John James Audubon, Andy Warhol, and Carrie Mae Weems.
See also
- Newcomb Pottery
- H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College
- Tiffany glass
- List of museums in New Orleans
