American Art

American Art

Introduction

A building , place or institution where a collection of objects and artifacts relating art , science , history , or other subjects are kept for display is called a Museum . At various museums , visitors can learn how people lived and worked in early times , what makes a work of art a masterpiece . Some people also consider the term museum to apply to such educational institutions as planetariums , botanical gardens , nature centers , and even libraries . The three main functions of Museums are

Acquire new materials

Exhibit and care for materials especially

the antique , and

Provide various special services

Note : Antique is an article or object from the past that has artistic or historical value

A museum also keeps a study collection of non-displayed objects . The artifacts , thus preserved , are often studied by students , teachers and researchers . The museums are mainly three kinds

Art museums

History museums , and

Science museums

Art Museums

Art museums preserve and exhibit paintings , sculpture , and other works of art . The collections of art museums include work from many periods Some famous museums of this type in the US include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City , The Whitney Museum , and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City

Some museums specialize in artworks of one period . For example , the Museum of Modern Art in New York City displays works created since the late 1800 's . Other museums exhibit only one type of art . The Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe , New Mexico , for example , specializes in folk art from around the world

Many art museums also have special exhibits . They borrow works of art from individuals or other museums for such exhibits , which usually last several weeks (Encyclopedia article The Columbia Encyclopedia , Sixth Edition , 2004

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is the largest art museum in the United States . It includes more than 2 million works of art . The city of New York owns the building , but the collections belong to a corporation that runs the museum under a charter granted in 1870 . The museum offers concerts and lectures in a 700-seat auditorium . Its shops sell art books , posters , and reproductions of works of art from the collections

Some of the rare collections at Metropolitan Museum of Art are

The collections of ancient art (Egyptian prehistoric pottery paintings , sculpture , and jewelry , about 2450 B .C . Greek and Roman objects . Art from Mesopotamia , Persia

The Collections of Asian Art

The Collection of European Paintings

The American Art Collections

Art of the 1900 's includes paintings , sculpture , works on , and decorative arts . These items are displayed in 22 galleries

The Uris Center of the museum offers a library , auditorium , and classrooms

The Cloisters , located in Fort Tryon Park , is a branch of the museum devoted to medieval art

Whitney Museum of American Art

The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City presents American art of all periods , with emphasis on the work of living...