Snite Museum of Art facts for kids
Snite Museum of Art, 2013, now Snite Research Center in the Visual Arts as of 2023
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| Established | 1980 |
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| Location | University of Notre Dame 100 Moose Krause Circle Notre Dame, Indiana |
| Type | Art |
The Snite Museum of Art was a special art museum located on the University of Notre Dame campus in Notre Dame, Indiana. It was home to about 30,000 amazing pieces of art. These artworks came from many different cultures and time periods.
The museum helped teachers and students learn more about art. It offered programs, talks, workshops, and art shows. Students even worked there as gallery guides and advisors.
In April 2023, the Snite Museum closed its doors. This happened because a brand new art museum, the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, was opening nearby. The new museum welcomed visitors in December 2023.
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's History
The idea for an art museum at Notre Dame started a long time ago. Around 1875, there was a gallery and museum for Native American items. Later, in 1924, the Wightman Memorial Art Gallery opened.
In the 1950s, a famous sculptor named Ivan Meštrović worked at the University. He had his own studio there. This studio later became part of the Snite Museum.
How the Snite Museum Began
In 1975, the Fred B. Snite family gave money to build a new art museum. The Snite Museum of Art officially opened in 1980. It brought together Meštrović's sculpture studio and other art galleries. These spaces were used for showing art from around the world.
In 2018, Joseph Antenucci Becherer became the new director of the museum.
The Snite Museum closed in 2023. It is now being changed into the Snite Research Center in the Visual Arts. This new center will help people study art even more deeply.
The Museum Building and Its New Home
The Snite Museum building opened in the fall of 1980. It combined existing galleries with a new structure. The building was 70,000 square feet, which is a lot of space for art! It was a gift from the Snite Family.
In 2018, a generous donation helped build an even newer museum. This new museum is called the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art. It was built in two stages. The first part of the new museum is also about 70,000 square feet. It holds many art galleries and other important areas.
The new museum was designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects. Construction started in April 2020. The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art opened its doors on December 1, 2023.
What Art Was Inside?
The Snite Museum had a huge collection of art. It included many different types of art, such as:
- Prints and photographs
- French paintings from the 1700s and 1800s
- Paintings from the Baroque period
- African art
- Art from ancient Olmec and Mesoamerican cultures
- Native American art
- Art from the 1900s
Many special collections were donated to the museum. These included etchings by Rembrandt, French art from the 1800s, and sculptures by Ivan Meštrović. There were also collections of old drawings and European photographs.
The Sculpture Park
A special outdoor area for art was created thanks to a gift from Charles S. Hayes. This area is called the Charles B. Hayes Family Sculpture Park. It reopened in 2017.
The park was designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh. It covers eight acres on the edge of the Notre Dame campus. It's a peaceful place to enjoy nature and art. The park has twelve sculptures by artists from all over the world. One famous sculpture there is Wing Generator by Richard Hunt.
Fun Programs for Kids
The museum offered many programs for children and schools. Each year, about 7,000 local schoolchildren visited for tours related to their lessons.
There were also after-school and summer programs. These took place at the Robinson Community Learning Center. The museum also held summer art camps for children who might not usually get to experience art. They even taught art to student teachers and held workshops for local teachers.
