Phoenix Art Museum facts for kids
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Phoenix Art Museum's north entrance
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| Established | 18 November 1959 |
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| Location | 1625 North Central Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85004 United States |
| Type | Art museum |
| Public transit access | Add→ McDowell/Central Avenue |
The Phoenix Art Museum is a huge museum in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the largest art museum in the southwest United States. The museum is about 285,000 square feet in size.
It shows art from all over the world. It also has a large collection of over 18,000 artworks. These include American, Asian, European, and Latin American art. You can also see modern, contemporary, and fashion designs.
Since 1959, the museum has been a community hub. It hosts fun events like festivals and live shows. You can also watch independent art films and join educational programs. The museum has an interactive space for kids called The Hub. It also features photography exhibits and a beautiful Sculpture Garden. You can even find places to eat and shop there.
The museum is a special place called a Phoenix Point of Pride.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's History
The Phoenix Art Museum first opened its doors in 1959. It is located along the Central Avenue Corridor in Phoenix.
How the Museum Started
After Arizona became a state in 1912, a group called the Phoenix Women's Club was formed. They worked with the Arizona State Fair Committee to start an art program. In 1915, the club bought a painting for $125. It was called Egyptian Evening by Carl Oscar Borg. They gave it to the city of Phoenix to begin a community art collection.
Later, in 1925, the State Fair Committee created the Phoenix Fine Arts Association. This group helped grow the art community.
Building the First Art Center
A big step for local art happened in 1936. The Phoenix Art Center was created. It was part of a government program called the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project. The painter Philip C. Curtis was its director.
Because the Art Center was so successful, the Civic Center Association was formed in 1940. This group worked to raise money and plan a new building. They got a 6.5-acre piece of land. It was given by the family of Adolphus Clay Bartlett. This family included Maie Bartlett Heard, who also helped start the Heard Museum.
In the early 1950s, a famous architect named Alden Dow was hired. He designed a complex that would hold three important places. These were the Phoenix Public Library, the Phoenix Little Theater (now the Phoenix Theatre), and the new Phoenix Art Museum.
To manage this big project, the Phoenix Fine Arts Association chose a new board in 1952. In 1957, Forest M. Hinkhouse became the museum's first director.
Growing Over the Years
The museum officially opened on November 18, 1959. Just two years later, plans were made to make it bigger. By 1965, the museum had grown from 25,000 square feet to 72,000 square feet.
More expansions happened in 1996 and 2006. These were designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. The museum more than doubled in size. It added new art galleries and a 300-seat theater. It also got a research library and studio classrooms. The PhxArtKids Gallery and a café were also added.
In 2006, the Ellen and Howard C. Katz Wing for Modern Art opened. The museum also got a new lobby and a bigger store. A large 40,000-square-foot Bennett and Jacquie Dorrance Sculpture Garden was also created. A new entrance with a big outdoor area was added too. The city of Phoenix helped fund this growth.
Over the last 50 years, the museum has hosted over 400 exhibitions. Its art collection has grown to more than 18,000 pieces. Millions of people have visited the museum.
Exploring the Art Collections
The museum always has new exhibitions throughout the year. It also has permanent collections from its over 19,000 artworks. These include art from America, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. You can also see Western American, modern, and contemporary art, plus fashion designs.
The museum also shows amazing photography. This is thanks to its partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona.
Famous Artists and Artworks
The museum has European paintings by artists like Girolamo Genga, Guercino, and Claude Monet. Monet's famous painting Garden Arches, Giverny is part of the collection. You can also see works by Pablo Picasso.
American paintings include art by Gilbert Stuart, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Howard Post. For contemporary art, you might see pieces by Yayoi Kusama (like You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies) and Kehinde Wiley. The museum also has 20th-century sculptures by artists such as Max Ernst and Giacometti.
Learning and Education Programs
The museum offers many ways to learn about art. Its Education Division has programs for different ages and learning styles. These programs are for both formal and informal learning.
The museum also has a competitive Internship program. This program is for college students and recent graduates. Internships are offered all year round. Sometimes, special project-based internships are available too.
Lemon Art Research Library
The Lemon Art Research Library is a special library at the museum. You cannot check out books, but you can use them there for research. It focuses on the museum's art collection.
The library has over 40,000 books, magazines, and artist files. It is the biggest art library in the region. You can visit it for free during public hours.
How the Museum is Supported
Most of the museum's money comes from the community. About 80% of its income comes from ticket sales and memberships. It also earns money from its store and renting out its spaces.
The government provides about 3% of the museum's budget. Companies contribute about 10%. The rest, about 7%, comes from the museum's special fund called an endowment.
Gallery
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Adelaide Labille-Guiard, Madame Adelaide, 1791
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Jean-Léon Gérôme, Thumbs Down, 1872
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Julius LeBlanc Stewart, Spring Flowers, 1890
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Eugene Boudin, The Old Harbor at Touques, 1891
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Antonio Rizzi, Study in White, 1896
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Edouard Vuillard, Madame Hessel Working at a Dressmaker's Table, 1908
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Willard Franklin Midgette, Processing Sheep, 1976
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Kenneth Riley, Bodmer Painting Piegan Chief, 1986
See also
