The Museum of Modern Art is a famous art museum in New York City. It has a lot of contemporary and modern art. However, MoMA has much artwork in the form of prints, sculptures, design, and architecture. Different artists had made these artworks.
Interesting Facts about MoMAÂ
Let’s discuss some interesting facts about this Museum of Modern Art in detail.
- The Museum of Modern Art was the idea of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Abby married John D. Rockefeller Junior, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and financier. Abby sold the idea of this museum to her friend, whose name was Lillie P. Bliss. In the 20th century, Lillie P. Bliss was a well-known artist because of her modern art skill and collection. Abby also got help from another friend, Mary Quinn Sullivan, the art teacher. Abby, Bliss, and Sullivan founded the Museum of Modern Art. As a result of their hard work and unique ideas, they became well-known.
- The Museum of Modern Art caught on fire on April 15, 1958. The fire was caused by smoking in an area with paint cans, sawdust, and a canvas drop cloth. One worker died due to this problem. Some paintings were also destroyed in the fire. After the incident a replica of the painting was created, and it is currently on display at the museum.
- The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) started in a small space in Manhattan. Over the next ten years, the museum moved to three bigger locations because it needed more room. In 1939, the MoMA location was secured in a large building. In 2019, it was made bigger to allow more people to see and show more of its collection.
- In 2008, the Department of Transportation partnered with art gallery PaceWildenstein to install nine sculptural bike racks designed by artist and musician David Byrne. One of these, entitled “MoMA,” was installed at the entrance of the Museum of Modern Art.
- The research facilities of the Museum of Modern Art are the best. However, they have a conservation laboratory, 300,000 books, and 90,000 individual files of different artists. They have 2,500 published works which are available in 35 languages. However, this makes them one of the best places to research art.
- The Museum of Modern Art offers various online classes. You can get the classes through Coursera. These classes teach you about the museum’s collection and general art.
- In its early stages, MoMA has showcased sculptures and paintings. In 1931, the department of Architecture and Design was created. The classification of Film and Media followed in 1935. In 1940 Photography also became a part. After that, in 1969, Prints and Illustrated Books came. And finally, the Drawings department was created in 1971.
- The number of people who visited the art museum in 2020 decreased by sixty-five percent from 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, it ranked 25th on the list of most visited museums.
Conclusion:
The Museum of Modern Art is one of the most popular museums in the world just like the museum of western art. And is known for its promotion of modern art. The museum is home to some of the most famous pieces of art in the world, including works by Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol.
If you are from New York City, check out the Museum of Modern Art. It’s a great place to learn about modern art and see some amazing pieces. And if you can’t make it to New York, don’t worry! The museum has an online gallery that you can explore from the comfort of your own home.
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