Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
One of the museum's namesake bridge pavilions
|
|
 Location in Arkansas
|
|
| Established | 11 November 2011 |
|---|---|
| Location | 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas |
| Coordinates | 36°22′57″N 94°12′13″W / 36.3825°N 94.203611°WCoordinates: 36°22′57″N 94°12′13″W / 36.3825°N 94.203611°W |
| Type | American art |
| Founder | Alice Walton |
| Director | Rod Bigelow |
| Architect | Moshe Safdie |
| Nearest car park | Garage and surface lot on site (no charge) |
| Website | crystalbridges |
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a museum of American art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The museum, founded by Alice Walton and designed by Moshe Safdie, officially opened on 11 November 2011. It offers free public admission.
Alice Walton, the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, spearheaded the Walton Family Foundation's involvement in developing Crystal Bridges. The museum's glass-and-wood design by architect Moshe Safdie and engineer Buro Happold features a series of pavilions nestled around two creek-fed ponds. The complex includes 217,000 square feet (20,200 m2) of galleries, several meeting and classroom spaces, a library, a sculpture garden, a gift shop designed by architect Marlon Blackwell, a restaurant and coffee bar, named Eleven after the day the museum opened, "11/11/11". Crystal Bridges also features a gathering space that can accommodate up to 300 people. Additionally, there are outdoor areas for concerts and public events, as well as extensive nature trails. It employs approximately 300 people, and is within walking distance of downtown Bentonville.
The museum has amassed $488 million in assets as of August 2008, an amount that will increase as more pieces are continually added to the museum's collection. It is the first major art museum (over $200 million endowment) to open in the United States since 1974. Over $317 million of the project's cost has been donated by Alice Walton. A 2013 Forbes ranking of the world's richest people placed the Wal-Mart heiress at No. 16, with an estimated net worth of $26.3 billion.
In 2005, art historian John Wilmerding was hired for acquisition and advice on museum programming. Wilmerding commented that Alice Walton "will not spend at any cost" and will do her "homework on almost every individual acquisition and will ask for paperwork on market comparables". He stated that often when an artwork became available through a private sale Walton would state ‘Wait, it will come to auction where we can get it at a better price,’ and she was usually correct. He also stated that the museum ranks at least in the top half dozen of American art museums. The museum's "quality and its range and depth already place it among one of the very best."
...
Wikipedia