Zigler Art Museum facts for kids

The Zigler Art Museum (ZAM) is a cool art museum located in Jennings, Louisiana. You can find it right inside the City Hall building. It's a great place to explore different kinds of art!

The museum's main collection shows important art styles from the 1800s all the way to today. Ruth Zigler started the ZAM in 1970 with 20 artworks and nine dioramas (which are like 3D scenes). Since then, the collection has grown a lot and now has over 600 amazing pieces!

What You Can See at ZAM

The Zigler Art Museum always has something new to see. They change their art shows every three months. These shows feature special selections from their own collection, art shows that travel from other places, and unique exhibits put together by the museum staff.

Art from Louisiana and Beyond

ZAM's collection includes art from local artists, as well as artists from across the country and even other parts of the world. The museum aims to show how visual art has developed in Louisiana over time. They focus on art from the 1800s, 1900s, and 2000s.

The museum's fine art and decorative pieces tell stories about Louisiana's history and culture. They also show how local art fits into the bigger picture of art around the world. This helps visitors understand how Louisiana artists are part of a global art scene. The museum also loves to feature new and upcoming artists from Louisiana.

Famous Artists at the Museum

Some of the cool artworks you might see at ZAM are by famous artists like John James Audubon, Charles Sprague Pearce, Helen Turner, Angela Gregory, Clementine Hunter, Ellsworth Woodward, Alexander Calder, and Helen Gerardia. You can also find art by Alexander Drysdale and a large collection of works by William Tolliver.

History of the Zigler Art Museum

Ruth Zigler started the ZAM with a special fund in 1963. She was a big art collector herself. She also gave her own art collection and the house she and her husband, Fred B. Zigler, had owned since 1908. To make space for more art and nine large wildlife dioramas, Ruth added two new parts to the house in 1969. The Zigler Art Museum officially opened its doors to the public in 1970.

Growing the Art Collection

Today, the ZAM collection has artworks by artists from Louisiana, other parts of the United States, and Europe. The collection includes both two-dimensional (like paintings) and three-dimensional (like sculptures) works. These pieces come from the 1800s, 1900s, and 2000s. You can find everything from folk art to Impressionist paintings, and from local crafts to bronze sculptures. There are also carved wood pieces and photographs.

A New Home for the Museum

In December 2015, the Zigler Art Museum moved to its current home inside the City Hall building. This new location gave the museum more space for its growing collection. It also helped the museum connect more easily with other cultural places in Jennings.

External Links

• Zigler Art Museum