Washington County Museum of Fine Arts facts for kids
Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown City Park.
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| Established | 1929 |
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| Location | 401 Museum Drive, Hagerstown (City Park), MD 21740 United States |
| Type | Art center, Art museum |
| Visitors | 50,000 |
The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (WCMFA) is a cool art museum in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. You can find it in Hagerstown City Park, right in the middle of everything!
Mr. and Mrs. William Singer, Jr. gave this museum to the community in 1929. It opened in 1931, and more parts were added in 1949. It has amazing art from all over the country. You can also enjoy changing art shows, music, talks, movies, and fun art classes. There are special events for kids and grown-ups all year long!
The museum's art includes American art from the 1800s and early 1900s. It also has art from "Old Masters" and beautiful decorative art. The best part? It's free to get in! The museum gets help from people and groups who donate money. It is also approved by the American Alliance of Museums.
History of the Museum Building
The first building for the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts was designed by Hyde & Shepherd. This company was an architecture firm from New York. The building looks like an old colonial house. It is made of red brick with special local limestone.
The front of the building has the museum's name carved in big letters. There's also a picture of an artist's palette on the roof. This shows everyone it's an art museum! Anna Singer, one of the founders, always called the first building the "first part." She planned to make it bigger.
In 1946, Anna offered to pay for two new sections. These were finished in 1949. Later, in 1994, another part was added. This created an open area around the main entrance. The first stone was placed on July 15, 1930. The museum opened its doors on September 16, 1931. Since then, the museum has collected over 6,000 pieces of art!
Meet the Museum Founders
William Henry Singer, Jr. was an artist, and his wife was Anna Brugh Singer. They lived most of their lives in Europe. But they gave a wonderful gift to the people of Washington County.
In 1931, the Singers gave the Museum of Fine Arts to the community. They also gave a large collection of American and European art. Anna loved her hometown of Hagerstown very much. This is why they wanted to give back. The couple kept giving gifts to the museum throughout their lives. In 1949, Anna made the museum much bigger. She added two new sections to honor her husband after he passed away.
The Singers traveled a lot in the United States and Europe. They became friends with many artists. This helped them learn a lot about the art world. William was an American painter. He was influenced by European art styles from the late 1800s. His father was a very rich steel boss in Pittsburgh.
William mostly painted the mountains and fjords of Norway. He loved Norway so much it felt like his second home. His best work showed the amazing views of Norway. Anna was more outgoing than William. She spent a lot of time hosting guests at their homes in the Netherlands and Norway. She also helped build their art collection.
Besides starting the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, the couple gave many gifts. They helped churches, towns, and hospitals in Norway, the Netherlands, and the United States. After William died in 1943, Anna focused on finding good homes for their art. She also supported art places. In 1956, she started the Singer Laren Museum and theater. This was in Laren, the Netherlands. Anna continued to support art and performances until she died in 1962.
Amazing Art Collection
The museum has a strong collection of art from the 1700s to the early 1900s. You can see paintings by famous artists like Benjamin West and Thomas Sully. The museum also has beautiful American landscape paintings. These include works by Thomas Cole, Thomas Moran, and Frederic Edwin Church. Other artists like Jasper Cropsey and Albert Bierstadt are also featured.
Paintings by American impressionists like Childe Hassam are also here. These came to the museum because William and Anna Singer were friends with these artists. The museum also has great examples from The Ashcan School. These include paintings by George Luks and Robert Henri.
You can also find a small but important group of European, Asian, and African art. There's also beautiful Art Deco glass by Tiffany and Lalique. The museum's collection also includes modern American art. And don't miss the unique pottery by George Ohr!
The museum is very interested in art from Maryland. It has portraits by the Charles Willson Peale family of painters. This includes works by Rembrandt Peale and Sarah Miriam Peale. European "Old Masters" paintings are also on display. These include Saints Mary Magdalene and Paul by Giovanni Mazone.
The Singers bought 13 important sculptures by French artist Auguste Rodin in 1931. One of these is his famous Saint John the Baptist. At the same time, Anna Singer bought a study of Abraham Lincoln. This was for the Mount Rushmore monument by Gutzon Borglum.
Since Anna's death, the museum has kept collecting art. It now has important works by Milton Avery and Norman Rockwell. Other artists include Helen Frankenthaler and Robert Indiana. In 1999, a beautiful stained glass panel was added. It was made by local artist Robert Martin.
