Taubman Museum of Art facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Taubman Museum of Art

Established	1951
Location	110 Salem Avenue SE Roanoke, Virginia, 24011 United States
Type	Art museum

The Taubman Museum of Art building

The Taubman Museum of Art is a cool place to see art in downtown Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It used to be called the Art Museum of Western Virginia. This museum officially started in 1951. It moved around to different places in Roanoke before finding its current home in 2008. The building itself is a modern-looking design by Randall Stout. The museum focuses on American art, and you can visit for free every day!

The Taubman Museum: A Look at Its History

How the Museum Started

In 1947, a group called the American Association of University Women in Roanoke wanted to see a big art show. They asked the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to bring some of its art to the Hotel Roanoke. This visit helped spark the idea for a local art museum.

So, in 1951, the Roanoke Fine Arts Center officially began as its own group. At first, they used the City of Roanoke's main library to show art. Later, in 1954, they rented a building on Franklin Road.

Moving to New Homes

In 1955, the art center moved into a new building in South Roanoke. This building was a gift from Mr. and Mrs. J. Meade Harris. Then, in 1965, the Roanoke Fine Arts Center and another group bought a house called Cherry Hill. The owner sold it to them for much less than it was worth.

The first art show at Cherry Hill featured works by Thomas Eakins. These artworks were borrowed from his family members who lived in Roanoke. In 1979, the museum changed its name to the Roanoke Museum of Fine Arts.

Finding a Downtown Spot

In 1983, the museum moved again, this time to the new Center in the Square building in downtown Roanoke. This new spot was much bigger and had more space to show off its art collection. The goal was to create a place where "art happens."

In 1992, the museum changed its name once more, becoming the Art Museum of Western Virginia. In 2001, the museum received a special gift from Peggy Macdowell Thomas. This gift included 27 artworks connected to her relative, Thomas Eakins, and money to create a special gallery named after them.

Building the Taubman Museum of Art

By the late 1990s, the museum needed even more space. In 2000, the city of Roanoke offered a building site and $4 million for a brand new museum. They even planned to add an IMAX theater.

In 2002, Randall Stout was chosen to design the new building. Construction started in May 2006. Stout's modern design was quite different and caused some talk, but it has since won awards from around the world.

In February 2008, the museum announced that the new building would be named after Nicholas F. Taubman and his wife Eugenia Taubman. Nicholas F. Taubman was a former CEO and later a U.S. Ambassador. They gave over $15 million to the project, which cost $66 million in total. The Taubman Museum of Art officially opened its doors on November 8, 2008.

What's Inside the Museum Today?

The museum is about 75,000 square feet in size. It has twelve galleries that host 12 to 15 different art shows each year. There's also the City of Roanoke Atrium, a tall space (about 77 feet high) used for large, temporary art displays.

You can also find Art Venture, which is an interactive gallery especially for younger visitors. The IMAX theater that was planned didn't end up being built. That space was turned into more art galleries and a hall for different events. Since 2012, thanks to donations from companies, it's been free to visit the museum's main art galleries.

Art at the Taubman Museum: What You Can See

The museum has a collection of more than 2,000 artworks. It includes important American art from the 1800s and early 1900s. There's also modern and contemporary art, photography, and decorative arts. They even have smaller collections, like Southern folk art.

American Art Collection

The American art collection shows works from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. You can see art from different styles like the Hudson River school, American Realism, American Impressionism, and the Arts and Crafts movement.

Some famous American artists whose work you can find here include:

• Thomas Eakins
• Winslow Homer
• Childe Hassam
• Maurice Prendergast
• John Singer Sargent
• Robert Henri
• Norman Rockwell
• George Inness
• Eduard Steichen
• Thomas Hart Benton

Modern and Contemporary Art

The modern and contemporary art collection features works by artists like:

• Jasper Johns
• Robert Rauschenberg
• Jacob Lawrence
• Romare Bearden
• John Cage
• Audrey Flack
• Dorothy Gillespie

Images for kids

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  Gentleman and a Dog (1878) by Susan Macdowell Eakins

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  Two Sisters (Mary & Elizabeth Macdowell) (1879) by Susan Macdowell Eakins

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  William H. Macdowell (1891) by Thomas Eakins

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  Alfred Reynolds (1902) by Thomas Eakins

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  Walter Macdowell (1904) by Thomas Eakins

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  Happy Days (c. 1910-20) by Edward Henry Potthast