Museums are places of exhibition and teaching. The place of a museum has changed as the culture around the world has evolved , museums have grown from a rich man’s play thing to an accessible learning environment that can produce an exhibition that changes the perception of reality or show artefacts that allow us a greater understanding of the known world. With that the museum build has changed to accommodate this evolution in culture, from the grand terracotta Romanesque build to a truly modern enclosure the main aspects of a museum have always been the same to show the pieces of artwork or artefacts in the best way possible with as little damage to the object as possible.
The Natural History Museum is a prime example of how the public perception of museums has changed. At first the museum was a past time for the rich and educated and only the upper class was allowed in to browse, now the museum is a host for events each year which gather crowds in the museum, such as the ice rink which is located outside the building every Christmas. Furthermore, the education provided by the museum has increased greatly with the introduction of school talks and group tours as well as the chance to volunteer at the museum to work with the artefacts.
In contrast, the Museum of Modern Art have always been an eduction and statement orientated organisation. As with the Natural History Museum MoMA outgrew its buildings and needed a new environment. Yoshio Taniguchi wining design for the new Museum of Modern Art encapsulates this idea of the art and the education merging. Opened in 2004, the build is classically modern and creates a peaceful atmosphere in busy Manhattan. As well as create an eye break in the street so the museum is the main thing...
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...e gallery to look out towards the street and therefore is part of the city’s energy and thus affecting the atmosphere in the museum as well.
The commercial side is able to take the demanding view of changing architecture due to the ever growing and evolving industry. This evolution produces a busy and vibrant atmosphere. While the residential aspect of the museum required a more understated and unified approach. This difference in atmospheres allowed Taniguchi to define MoMA as a building. The main aspects of MoMA are its simple yet defined façade to its residential side with Zimbabwean black granite, dark grey, clear and white glass as well as aluminium. While the commercial side kept the old facades of Edward Durell Stone and Philip Goodwin buildings that were included in the new Museum of Modern Art. The change in facades mimics the atmosphere surrounding them.
Location of a building is significant, often giving an insight into the edifice’s function. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is located on Fifth Avenue between 88th and 89th streets (picture1). It was commissioned by Solomon Guggenheim in 1943. Guggenheim chose Frank Lloyd Wright to design a new building to house Guggenheim’s four-year-old Museum of non objective painting. Wright was reluctant on New York being chosen as the city to house the museum but he finally decided on its current location. Its proximity to Central Park was a vital factor in his decision – the park offers a respite to the hustle and bustle of the city and gets as close to nature as possible in the City (picture 2). Like Robie House and Falling Water, the museum is a product of its environment and finds its inspiration from nature. As is stated on the official website, the Guggenheim Museum is an “embodiment of Wright’s attempts to render the inherent plasticity of organic forms in architecture.” People visit the museum as much for its architecture as its art; it is an icon of modern architecture and designed specifically to showcase and complement modern art.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has one of the finest Asian art collections that has enlightened and strengthened my understanding in my personal art experience. The Museum itself is an artistic architectural structure that graces the entire block on 82nd Street in Manhattan. Entering inside, I sensed myself going back into an era, into a past where people traded ideas and learned from each other. It is a past, where I still find their works of yesteryears vividly within my grasp, to be remembered and shared as if their reflections of works were cast for the modern devoted learner.
On my trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I decided to take my mother with me. While being in the museum, I decided to focus on “The American Wing”. In “The American Wing”, there are amazing pieces of art, jewelry, and antique silver. I was amazed on how each piece of artwork and item was carefully designed. They had an amazing design that you do not see now in days.
Duncan’s (1991) analysis of western museums is defined through the theme of “durable objects” as a criterion to judge the heritage of American and European art as a ritual of the modern state. In this manner western art museums are built like “temples” as a symbolic and figurative representation of greatness of western culture throughout the world: “[They] are more like the traditional ceremonial monuments that museum buildings often emulate—classical temples” (Duncan 90). This interpretation of American/European museums defines a dominant source of cultural heritage that ritualizes
With exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is one of the Nation’s largest facilities devoted to the art of our time (“About the MCA”) . The mission of the MCA is to offer a direct experience to the public of modern day art and living artists. German architect Joseph Paul Kleihues designed the new building with seven times the square feet of its previous facility (“The Building”) . October of 1967 the museum opened its doors to the public for the first time. The Museum of Contemporary Art is a symbol of modern art, culture, and the artist of our time. It is a stepping stone in history and will leave footprints in the heart of Chicago for many generations to come.
In all, both the Glasgow Art Building and the Goldman-Schwartz Art Building have a surprising number of similarities. Although they are located on two different continents, the styles are remarkably similar especially considering their function. Their similar goals to promote creativity by designing an open and free environment are perhaps, the most significant and interesting features of the structures. By comparing these features, it gives an indication of the serious dedication to art that has existed across the world regardless of history.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art came about as an idea from Jon Jay in Paris, France in 1866 with the idea of “national institution gallery of art” within the United States. Once this idea was proposed, it was immediately moved forward with his return to the United States. With the help of the Union League Club in NY they began to acquire civic leaders, businessmen, artists, and collectors who aided in the creation of the museum. For over 140 years, the visitors who go here have received everything the mission of the institution states.
In Stephen Weil’s essay, he argues “the museum’s role has transformed from one of mastery to one of service” (Weil, 196). According to him, museums have changed their mission from one that cultures the public to one that serves
Items displayed in museums hold historical significance and are representative of society’s culture. Preserving valuable collections for education and enjoyment is a primary role of museums. While fulfilling this role, the architecture of the museum is also an important factor. Historical buildings are converted into museums and architects must consider the use of the space and the museum’s purpose during their initial design. Other museums are built with a clear purpose in mind. As museums are designed, many characteristics are determined. Display and storage spaces as well as visitor services impacts museum’s functionality. Based on the function of a museum, architectural requirements are different.
The Museum Of Modern Art “MOMA” was firmly established on 53rd street in 1939 in Midtown Manhattan New York, after a decade of moving due to its growth in modern art pieces. Originally Patrons Miss Lillie P. Bliss, Mrs. Cornelius J. Sullivan, and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller Jr. wanted to establish a program dedicated to modern art in the late 1920s. A. Conger Goodyear, Paul Sachs, Frank Crowninshield and Josephine Boardman Crane, whom later became trustees, created the Museum Of Modern Art in 1929. It’s founding Director, Alfred H. Barr, Jr. wanted the MOMA to be "the greatest museum of modern art in the world." Its intent was to provide ordinary blue collar individuals with a better understanding and acknowledgment of art in its era.
The essence of modern architecture lays in a remarkable strives to reconcile the core principles of architectural design with rapid technological advancement and the modernization of society. However, it took “the form of numerous movements, schools of design, and architectural styles, some in tension with one another, and often equally defying such classification, to establish modernism as a distinctive architectural movement” (Robinson and Foell). Although, the narrower concept of modernism in architecture is broadly characterized by simplification of form and subtraction of ornament from the structure and theme of the building, meaning that the result of design should derive directly from its purpose; the visual expression of the structure, particularly the visual importance of the horizontal and vertical lines typical for the International Style modernism, the use of industrially-produced materials and adaptation of the machine aesthetic, as well as the truth to materials concept, meaning that the true nat...
New museology is the modernisation of museums. New museums are made to be more interactive and more interesting for the visitors. Displays in the museums are no longer covered in glass and people are encouraged to look more closely and interact with displays. The museums are brighter are the displays...
Sillito, D. (2011). Free museums: Visits more than double. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15979878. Last accessed 4th Nov 2013.
MacDonald, George F. “The Journal of Museum Education, Vol. 16, No. 1” Current Issues in Museum Learning (1991): 9-12. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.
Wide stone stairways and a diagonal slicing wall disappear beneath the surrounding rocks, creating a dramatic path to the rooftop terrace in the Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum. Ando defines architecture as “the box that provokes.” He says, “I do not believe architecture should speak too much. It should remain silent and let nature in the guise of sunlight and wind speak.” His gift is to create spaces that respond to human needs and spirit, juxtaposing powerful concrete walls with light and nature to create a deep sense of peace. Using simple materials and geometry, Ando has produced a volume of exquisite