Norton Museum of Art facts for kids
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| Established | 1941 |
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| Location | West Palm Beach, Florida |
| Type | Art museum |
| Architect | Marion Sims Wyeth and Lord Norman Foster |
The Norton Museum of Art is a fantastic art museum located in West Palm Beach, Florida. It has a huge collection of over 8,200 artworks. You can explore art from Europe, America, and China. The museum also features contemporary art and photography. Back in 2003, it became the largest museum in Florida!
Contents
History of the Museum
The Norton Museum of Art was created in 1941. It was founded by Ralph Hubbard Norton (1875–1953) and his first wife, Elizabeth Calhoun Norton (1881–1947).
Mr. Norton used to lead a company called Acme Steel Co. in Chicago. When he retired, he moved to West Palm Beach. He wanted to share his collection of paintings and sculptures with everyone. The museum building was designed by Marion Sims Wyeth. It opened its doors to the public on February 8, 1941. The museum's goal is "to preserve for the future the beautiful things of the past."
The Museum Building
In 2001, the Norton Museum of Art grew much bigger. The Gail and Melvin Nessel Wing was added, making the museum 45,000 square feet larger. This brought the total size to 122,500 square feet.
In 2013, the museum announced a big plan to make it even better. This $60 million plan was designed by the British architect Norman Foster. It aimed to almost double the gallery space. The plan also included adding an education center, an auditorium, and a restaurant.
The new West Wing added a very tall Great Hall, which is 43 feet high. A parking lot next to the museum was turned into a 9,000-square-foot sculpture garden. A new main entrance was also built. This new entrance helped bring back the original design of the 1941 building. Construction on these changes began in 2016.
The museum closed in July 2018 for these big renovations. It reopened on February 9, 2019. The new space included 12,000 square feet of extra gallery space. There were also new classrooms, a restaurant, a 210-seat auditorium, and the beautiful sculpture garden.
The Norton Museum closed for eight months in 2020. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened in November 2020 with new art shows and safety rules.
The museum is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed on Tuesday. On Friday, it is open from 10 am to 10 pm. On Sunday, it is open from 11 am to 5 pm. They have special "Art after Dark" events on Friday nights.
Art Collection
The galleries on the ground floor show modern art from the 20th century. You can see art from America and Europe. There is also a large collection of Chinese artworks.
On the top floor, you can find important paintings by older artists. These include Jacopo Da Firenze, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Peter Paul Rubens. There are also examples of Chinese Export porcelain.
In 2018, the museum received a wonderful gift. Howard and Judie Ganek donated over 100 artworks from their collection. These included pieces by famous artists like Damien Hirst, Anselm Kiefer, and Cindy Sherman.
Rudin Prize for Photography
In 2012, the Norton Museum of Art started a special award. It's called the Rudin Prize for Emerging Photographers. The prize is $20,000. Beth Rudin DeWoody helped start this award. It is given every two years to a new photographer. This photographer must not have had a museum show before.
Prize Winners
2012 The first Rudin Prize went to Analia Saban. She was nominated by John Baldessari. Other nominees were:
- Eunice Adorno, nominated by Susan Meiselas
- Mauro D’Agati, nominated by Michal Rovner
- Gabriela Nin Solis, nominated by Graciela Iturbide
- Bjørn Venø, nominated by Yinka Shonibare
2014 The second Rudin Prize was given to Rami Maymon. He was nominated by Adi Nes. Other nominees were:
- Miriam Böhm, nominated by Thomas Demand
- Delphine Fawundu, nominated by Deborah Willis
- Renato Osoy, nominated by Luis González Palma
2016 The third Rudin Prize went to Elizabeth Bick. She was nominated by Shirin Neshat. Other nominees were:
- Clare Benson, nominated by Arno Rafael Minkkinen
- Wesley Stringer, nominated by Michael Kenna
- Alexandra Hunts, nominated by Rineke Dijkstra
2020 The Rudin Prize was awarded to Kristin-Lee Moolman. She was nominated by Cindy Sherman. Other nominees were:
- David Spero, nominated by Ori Gersht
- Jess T. Duggan, nominated by Dawoud Bey
- Lina Hashim, nominated by Trine Søndergaard
Museum Programs
The Norton Museum of Art offers many special programs. These include:
- Lectures & Conversations: Talks by artists and experts.
- Art After Dark: Fun evening events.
- Special Performances: Music, dance, and other shows.
- Art Classes and Workshops: Learn to create your own art.
- Families & Teens: Activities just for young people.
- Students & Teachers: Programs for schools.
- Artist in Residence Program: Artists work at the museum.
Museum Directors
Here are the people who have led the museum over the years:
- 2021–Present: Ghislain d'Humières
- 2019–2020: Elliot Bostwick Davis
- 2010–2019: Hope Alswang
- 1990–2009: Christina Orr-Cahall
