Museum of Arts and Design facts for kids
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| Established | 1956 |
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| Location | 2 Columbus Circle Manhattan, New York City |
| Type | Art museum |
| Public transit access | Bus: M5, M7, M2, M31, M57, M104 Subway:      at 59th Street–Columbus Circle |
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The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) is a special museum in Manhattan, New York City. It collects and shows amazing objects that highlight new and old ideas in craft, art, and design. Through its shows and learning programs, the museum celebrates how artists use different materials to create beautiful and useful things for our lives today.
Contents
History of the Museum of Arts and Design
The museum first opened in 1956. It was called the Museum of Contemporary Crafts back then. Its main goal was to show off the amazing skills of American artists working with crafts. A kind person named Aileen Osborn Webb helped the museum grow. She was a philanthropist, meaning she gave money to good causes. The museum put on shows that focused on the materials and methods used in crafts.
From the start, the museum showed how crafts changed over time. It also helped new artists get noticed. It even connected art with different industries.
Changes and New Locations
From 1963 to 1987, Paul J. Smith was the director. Under his leadership, the museum had exciting shows. Many of these shows let visitors take part. They also showed how art could be found in everyday things. This helped break down old ideas about what "real" art was.
In 1979, the museum moved to a bigger place. It reopened as the American Craft Museum. To fit even more programs, it moved again in 1986. This new home was at 40 West 53rd Street. The museum stayed there until 2008.
The next ten years brought many changes. The museum became its own organization, separate from the American Craft Council. In 1996, Holly Hotchner became the director. She worked for 16 years to make the museum better. She helped expand the museum's board, staff, and programs.
Becoming the Museum of Arts and Design
In 2002, the museum changed its name to the Museum of Arts and Design. This new name showed that it now collected and displayed many different types of art and design. The museum grew a lot in its collections and programs. This led to it getting the building at 2 Columbus Circle in 2002.
The museum's move to 2 Columbus Circle caused some debate. The building was originally designed by Edward Durell Stone. Some people felt that changing its design would ruin its history. Many important people, including writers and artists, shared their opinions.
The new design for the building was done by Brad Cloepfil. It opened in September 2008. The building's outside walls have special textured tiles and glass. This design shows off the museum's focus on craft and its collections.
Leadership Changes
From 2013 to 2021, the museum had many different directors. This was a lot of change for a museum. Some directors stayed for a short time. In 2021, Timothy R. Rodgers became the director of MAD.
The 2 Columbus Circle Building
The new location at 2 Columbus Circle is much bigger. It has over 54,000 square feet (about 5,000 square meters). This is three times the size of the old museum.
The building has four floors for showing art. These galleries display works by both famous and new artists. There is also a large auditorium that seats 150 people. Here, the museum hosts talks, movies, and performances. There is even a restaurant.
The museum also has a special Center for the Study of Jewelry. It has an Education Center too. This center offers ways to learn about art using different media. It has hands-on classrooms for students. There are also three studios where artists can work and create.
See also
- List of design museums
- American craft
- Paul J. Smith (arts administrator), Director emeritus
- Lowery Stokes Sims, Curator emerita
- Ursula Ilse-Neuman, Curator emerita
- Shannon R. Stratton, former William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator
