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Saint Louis Art Museum
StLouisArtMuseum.jpg
Location Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri
Built 1904
Built for 1904 World's Fair
Website www.slam.org
Type Structure
Reference no. 21
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The Saint Louis Art Museum (often called SLAM) is a fantastic place to explore art from all over the world! It's located in Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri. This museum is home to thousands of amazing paintings, sculptures, and ancient treasures.

Up to half a million people visit SLAM every year. The best part? Admission is completely free! This is thanks to a special tax that helps support cultural places in St. Louis. Besides its main collection, the museum also has special shows. These include the Currents series, which features new artists, and displays of digital art and drawings.

A Look Back: The Museum's History

Sketch by Marguerite Martyn of interior of St. Louis Art Museum in 1913 with woman visitor
Interior of the museum as sketched in 1913 by Marguerite Martyn
StLouisArtMuseumMO
Saint Louis Art Museum, 2011

The museum started way back in 1879. It was first called the Saint Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts. It was part of Washington University. The first building was a memorial to Wayman Crow Jr.

In 1904, the museum moved to a grand building called the Palace of Fine Arts. This building was originally made for the 1904 World's Fair. After the move, the museum's director, Halsey Ives, worked to get a special tax approved. This tax would help pay for the museum's upkeep.

The people of St. Louis voted yes to the tax! However, there was a problem. The city said the museum wasn't a city organization, so it couldn't get the tax money. This led to the museum officially separating from the university in 1909. This separation created three different art groups:

  • The public City Art Museum, which later became the Saint Louis Art Museum we know today.
  • The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, which is still part of Washington University.
  • The St. Louis School of Fine Arts, also part of Washington University.

In the 1950s, the museum added a new section. This part included an auditorium for movies, concerts, and talks. In 1971, voters approved a new plan to help fund the museum. This plan expanded the tax to include St. Louis County. In 1972, the museum was officially renamed the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Today, the museum gets its money from this tax, donations, sales from its shop, and support from foundations.

Growing Bigger: The Museum's Expansion

East Building, St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM)
The East Building, a new wing designed by British architect Sir David Chipperfield
Apotheosis-of-saint-louis
The statue Apotheosis of St. Louis by Charles Henry Niehaus, created in 1903

For many years, there were plans to make the museum even bigger. In 2005, a famous British architect named Sir David Chipperfield was chosen to design the new part.

In 2007, the plans were shown to the public. A model of the new building was even displayed in the museum! Construction started in 2009, and the museum stayed open during this time. The expansion added a lot more space, including new galleries and an underground parking garage.

The money for this big project came from private donations and special bonds. The project cost $130 million for construction. It also added $31.2 million to the museum's savings to help pay for running the larger building. The expanded museum opened in the summer of 2013.

Amazing Art Collections

The Saint Louis Art Museum has over 34,000 art pieces! These objects come from ancient times all the way to today. The collection is organized into nine main areas:

The modern art collection includes works by famous European artists like Matisse, Gauguin, Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh. The museum also has the world's largest collection of paintings by German artist Max Beckmann. One of his famous works here is Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery.

You can also see incredible art from Oceania and Mesoamerican cultures. The museum has beautiful handwoven Turkish rugs. There's even an Egyptian mummy named Amen-Nestawy-Nakht! The museum also has many paintings by American artist George Caleb Bingham.

Some artworks in the collection have interesting histories. For example, some pieces were taken from German museums by the Nazis during World War II. These artworks were later acquired by the Saint Louis Art Museum.

When the museum expanded in 2013, a British artist named Andy Goldsworthy created a special artwork. It's called Stone Sea. It features 25 tall arches made of local limestone. The artist was inspired by the fact that the area used to be a shallow sea long ago.

In 2021, the museum received a wonderful gift of 22 paintings and sculptures. These came from Emily Rauh Pulitzer, a famous art collector. This gift includes works by artists like Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Ellsworth Kelly.

Past Exhibitions (A Few Examples)

The museum always has new and exciting exhibitions! Here are just a few examples of shows that have been featured:

  • In 2020, there was "Storm of Progress: German Art after 1800."
  • In 2019, visitors could see "Dutch Painting in the Age of Rembrandt."
  • In 2018, the museum hosted "Sunken Cities: Egypt's Lost Worlds."
  • In 2017, there was "Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015."
  • In 2016, "Conflicts of Interest: Art and War in Modern Japan" was on display.
  • In 2015, "Senufo: Art and Identity in West Africa" was a popular show.
  • In 2014, "Atua: Sacred Gods from Polynesia" explored ancient cultures.
  • In 2013, the museum featured "Yoko Ono: Wish Tree."
  • In 2012, "Federico Barocci: Renaissance Master" showcased old European art.
  • In 2011, "Monet's Water Lilies" brought beautiful nature scenes to life.
  • In 2010, "The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy" was a unique display.

Visitor Services

  • The Richardson Memorial Library is a public research library. It has many books and documents about the museum's history and art.
  • The museum offers free guided tours. These tours are led by trained guides who can tell you all about the art.

Images for kids

More Information

  • Saint Louis Art Museum 2004, Saint Louis Art Museum Handbook of the Collection, Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, Mo.
  • Saint Louis Art Museum 1987, Saint Louis Art Museum, An Architectural History, Fall Bulletin, Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, MO.
  • Stevens, Walter B. (ed.) 1915, Halsey Cooley Ives, LL.D. 1847–1911; Founder of the St. Louis School of Fine Arts; First Director of the City Art Museum of St. Louis, Ives Memorial Society, Saint Louis, MO
  • Visitor Guide (brochure), Saint Louis Museum of Art, 2005.
  • Washington University in St. Louis, Student Life, 2006, Buried Treasure:University Owned Mummy Kept at Saint Louis Museum.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Museo de Arte de San Luis para niños

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