Rahr West Art Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Joseph Vilas Jr. House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 610-616 N 8th St, Manitowoc, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1891-1893 |
| Architect | George Ferry, Alfred Clas |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne style architecture in the United States, Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000035 |
| Added to NRHP | April 29, 1977 |
The Rahr–West Art Museum is a cool art museum located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It's inside a special building called the Joseph Vilas Jr. House. This house is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's also a great example of a building style called Queen Anne style.
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The Museum's Historic Home
The Joseph Vilas Jr. House was built a long time ago, between 1891 and 1893. It was made for Joseph Vilas, who was a successful merchant and even served as the mayor of Manitowoc twice. The house cost a lot of money back then, between $35,000 and $50,000.
The house has 13 rooms and was designed by famous architects George Ferry and Alfred Clas. They also designed another important building, the Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After Joseph Vilas passed away in 1905, the house was empty for a few years. Then, in 1910, Reinhardt Rahr bought it. His wife later gave the house to the city of Manitowoc in 1941. This is how it became a museum for everyone to enjoy!
Exploring the Museum's Rooms
The museum has many interesting rooms to explore.
First Floor Features
When you enter the museum, you'll find the main entrance. It used to be an open area for carriages, but it was closed off in 1975. In 1950, a beautiful stained glass entrance was added. This leads to a large room that was once two separate rooms: a reception hall and a dining room. A fireplace wall was removed in 1950 to make it one big space.
The Rahr parlor is a special room. It was used for art shows for about 20 years. But in 1977, it was made to look just like it did in 1910. The walls are covered in silk, and it has its original furniture. You can see a family photo and a bronze statue of Reinhardt Rahr here. This room also has one of the house's six original fireplaces. It's decorated with fancy columns and floral designs. Above the fireplace, there's a large oval mirror. Three other rooms nearby are used to show off different art pieces.
Second Floor Discoveries
Upstairs, at the top of the stairs, you'll find the John P. Nash Memorial Library. This room was once a bedchamber, but it was updated in 1995 with gifts from Nash's family. It has a bay window, a mantel, and a marble sink hidden behind a door.
The Schwartz Ivories Room used to be a dressing room or a servant's room. Now, it holds the amazing Simon Schwartz Collection of Chinese Ivories. This collection was given to the museum in 1973. It includes over 40 rare pieces from more than 300 years of history!
The Porcelain Room displays a collection of beautiful hand-painted porcelain sculptures. These were made by Boehm Studios. In the Doll Room, you can see Mrs. Guido Rahr's collection of dolls. She collected them from her travels all over the world. These dolls represent different traditions, stories, and popular figures from their countries. The room also has furnished dollhouses donated by Amy Brady. These dollhouses have tiny furniture from the 1930s.
The Kamogawa Room holds gifts from Manitowoc's Japanese sister city, Kamogawa.
Museum Wings and Gardens
The museum has grown over the years. A new section was added in 1975 to hold more exhibits. This part was built with gifts from John and Ruth West and the Rahr Foundation. Another section was added in 1986. This one helps display and store a large collection of American art that the West family also donated.
The museum's main collection includes art by famous artists like Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Picasso, and Eyvind Earle.
The Courtyard Garden is right inside the museum entrance. It was created in 1975 by Mrs. John West and the Manitowoc Garden Club. It features a bronze sculpture called Waiting by Bruno Lucchesi, surrounded by Wisconsin plants and trees.
The Ruth West Gallery is the biggest exhibit space. It hosts about 10 different art shows each year. Sometimes, it also has talks and music performances. The John West Gallery has exhibits that change every four to six weeks. It's also used to show art from the museum's own collection.
Sputnikfest Celebration
Something really cool happened near the museum on September 5, 1962. A 20-pound piece of the Sputnik 4 satellite crashed on North Eighth Street, just east of the museum! The exact spot where it landed is marked with a ring. Before the Soviets took the original piece back, a copy was made. This copy is now displayed at the museum. Because of this unique event, the city holds an annual celebration called Sputnikfest!
Images for kids
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John P. Nash Memorial Library
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Entrance on wing
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First floor entrance
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First floor hallway
