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Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan, New York Courtyard Photo-Wikimedia
Top 10 Interesting Facts about the Museum of Modern Art
In New York City, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is a leading art museum that boasts a huge collection of contemporary and modern art. You can locate it between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan.
The museum has artworks of sculptures, prints, architecture, and design works. Other forms of art represented in the art museum are drawings, prints, and books among many others. Here are 10 fascinating realities about the Museum of Modern Art that you will find captivating.
1. The museum started in 1929
The Museum of Modern Art opened its doors to the public on 7 November 1929. The opening was an optimistic venture as it took place during the Wall Street Crash period.
2. The founder is Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
Abby Rockefeller Photo by Bain News Service, publisher-Wikimedia
The idea of the Museum of Modern Art was the brainchild of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Abby married American philanthropist, entrepreneur, and financier John D. Rockefeller Junior.
Abby sold the idea to her friend Lillie P. Bliss who was famous for the modern art collection in New York in the early 20th century. She doubled as an art patron.
Abby Aldrich also invited Mary Quinn Sullivan another of her friend to be part of the Museum of Modern Art idea. Mary Quinn was an American textbook author and art teacher.
Mary’s passion for modern and contemporary art made her pioneer collection of the same in European and American art spaces. That is what she was best known for.
The trio (Abby, Bliss, and Sullivan) founded the Museum of Modern Art. As a result of their bold and one-of-a-kind initiative, they earned different references. They were the Ladies according to some. To others, the three were the adamantine ladies.
3. Museum of Modern Art is a type of art museum
Museum of Modern Art, New York, Photo by Anagoria-Wikimedia
The museum falls under the category of art museums. It is in the same classification as the Louvre museum. The Louvre is the world’s largest art museum and one of the famed tourist attractions in Paris.
MoMA’s Library has over 1,000 periodical titles. Ephemera files about individual artists and groups number over 40000. The catalogs exhibitions and books are about 300000. Materials held in the archives are primary sources associated with the history of contemporary and modern art.
4. The art museum has its works grouped under 6 classifications
The Museum of Modern Art showcased Painting and Sculpture in its early years. In 1931 Architecture and Design became a collection department. The film and Media classification came in 1935.
Five years after film and media came to Photography in 1940. The category of Prints and Illustrated Books came to be in 1969. In 1971 the department of Drawings was set up.
The museum’s uniqueness was in its photography, architecture, and design as well as film and media groupings. The museum pioneered such categories and was the only museum exhibiting the categories at the time.
5. The museum started on rented premises
The Museum of Modern Art started in the Heckscher Building on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. The museum at starting rented out 6 rooms which were offices and gallery rooms on the 12th floor of Heckscher.
6. The museum acquired a permanent location 10 years after starting
Time-Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York City Photo by David Shankbone-Wikimedia
MoMA expanded fast and within ten years had obtained a permanent home for its artworks. Before moving into the permanent station the museum lived in three other temporary locations.
These locations are exclusive of their stay at Heckscher Building. The museum moved to its permanent and present home at the Rockefeller Center in 1937. These addresses became formal in 1939.
7. The museum’s new address declaration came from U.S. President Roosevelt
The Museum of Modern Art occupied its permanent place in style. The museum had shifted its basement to the Rockefeller Center in the Time-Life Building in 1937.
The museum had to make its new address public. The event to publicize its new address was on 10 May 1939. The ceremony received over 6000 people.
The announcement of the museum’s address was from the white house via radio. Then U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt made the announcement.
8. The Museum’s President Nelson gave the museum flamboyancy
Nelson was President of the museum selected by the board of trustees in 1939. He was 30 years old when he became President of the museum. Nelson the son of Abby Rockefeller(one of the museum founders) was a flamboyant individual.
He transformed the Modern Art Museum’s image by increasing its publicity. The acquisition of its international-style buildings at Rockefeller Center and later expansions fruited during Nelson’s reign.
In 1958 Nelson left to serve as New York Governor. His brother David Rockefeller took over the museum’s presidency. David also made significant progress in the museum.
9. The museum’s sculpture garden is in honor of a founder
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, Museum of Modern Art, New York Photo by Elisa Rolle-Wikimedia
The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden name was to honor Abby Rockefeller who birthed the idea of MoMA. It is an outdoor courtyard within the museum.
The sculpture garden’s name came from David Rockefeller when he was president of the museum. He did so in honor of his mom and hired a renowned architect Philip Johnson for the task. Construction began in spring 1952 and by April 1953 the work was complete.
10. The museum caught fire in 1958
The Museum of Modern Art experienced a fire breakout on 15 April 1958. The fire was a result of smoking in an area that had sawdust, paint cans, and a canvas dropcloth. The smokers were workmen installing air conditioning.
The damage of the fire was the death of one worker and firefighters suffered smoke inhalation. A Monet Water Lilies painting that was on the second floor was destroyed. The 18-foot water lilies painting replacement happened after the incident and the replica is in the museum to date.
You can learn about the Museum of Modern Art through its online classes offered via Coursera. Exploring the museum is possible through online tours thanks to the museum’s participation in the Google Art Project.
Other than art gallery exhibitions, the museum has performance art studios. The museum also has designated spaces for private viewing. More to it is that you can buy films from the museum or rent the same.
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