Timken Museum of Art facts for kids
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Entrance to the Timken Museum of Art
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| Established | October 1965 |
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| Location | 1500 El Prado San Diego, California, US |
| Type | Art museum |
| Founder | Timken family, Anne and Amy Putnam |
The Timken Museum of Art is a special fine art museum located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It is close to the San Diego Museum of Art. This museum first opened its doors in 1965.
History of the Museum
The idea for the Timken Museum started in 1951. A man named Walter Ames helped two sisters, Amy and Anne Putnam, create a group called the Putnam Foundation. This foundation was set up to own and take care of their amazing art collection. The Putnam sisters had moved to San Diego in the early 1900s. They had already given many artworks to the San Diego Museum of Art when it was new.
At first, the Putnam Foundation loaned its art pieces to famous museums all over the United States. When the Timken Museum opened in 1965, the Putnam Foundation Collection became its first set of artworks. Walter Ames also became the museum's first director.
The museum building stands where an older building used to be. That building was first made for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition. It was known by different names over the years, like the Pan-Pacific Building. This old building was taken down in 1963. The Timken Museum was then built in its place. The Timken family provided the money for the new museum. The building was designed by the company Frank L. Hope and Associates. It is a modern, white building made of marble and bronze. Inside, it has five rooms where the art is displayed.
Soon after the museum opened, a famous art expert named John Walker visited. He worked at the National Gallery of Art. He had seen some of the Timken's art before, as it was on loan at his museum. He said, "It is one of the finest small museums I have ever seen... I congratulate you on the discrimination shown. You have been wise." He meant that the museum had chosen its art very carefully and smartly. He also said that it was very hard to find such high-quality paintings anymore.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Timken Museum shows many different kinds of art. You can see European old master paintings, which are artworks by famous artists from long ago. There are also sculptures and tapestries (woven art pieces). The museum uses natural light to show off these beautiful works. Besides European art, there are also collections of American paintings and special Russian icons.
The museum has added more artworks over time. It started with about 40 pieces and now has around 60 major works. These include art by American artists like Copley and Bierstadt. There are also works by Italian masters such as Veronese and Savoldo. Spanish artists like Murillo and French masters like Claude are also featured. You can also see amazing art from the Flemish and Dutch schools. These include masterpieces by Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, and Frans Hals.
In 2015, the museum celebrated its 50th birthday. To mark this special occasion, the Timken bought a painting by Zurbarán. It shows St. Francis deep in thought. The Timken Museum is also the only museum in San Diego that has a painting by the famous artist Rembrandt in its permanent collection.
Selected Artworks
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Parable of the Sower by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1557
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The Return of the Prodigal Son by Guercino, 1654-1655
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A Girl Receiving a Letter by Gabriel Metsu, ca. 1658
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Jacob van Ruisdael, A View of Haarlem and Bleaching Fields, ca. 1665-1670
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Portrait of Marguerite de Sève, Wife of Barthélemy-Jean-Claude Pupil by Nicolas de Largillière, 1729
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Portrait of Barthélemy-Jean-Claude Pupil by Nicolas de Largillière, 1729
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Cho-looke, the Yosemite Fall by Albert Bierstadt, 1864
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The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket, by Eastman Johnson, 1880
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Arte Timken para niños
