One problem I’ve had with art museums over the years is the difficulty of fully appreciating all that a museum has to offer in the time that I have available. There has always seemed to be too much to see and too little time in which to see it. The Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. are prime examples of the problem, but smaller museums can also strain the visitor’s energy.
The Weisman Art Museum, located on the campus of the University of Minnesota at 333 East River Road in Minneapolis, is a happy exception. My wife and I visited the museum recently and had no trouble enjoying all of the exhibits at a leisurely pace. The day that we visited, the special exhibits included a collection of photographs illustrating the Somali migration to selected cities in the United States, including the Twin Cities; a collection of newspaper headline collages from the past that provide a frame of reference for understanding life today; and a display of works by emerging artists.
The ongoing collection of the Weisman includes over 17,000 works of art concentrated in the areas of American modernism, ceramics, pottery from a tribal group known as the Mimbres (the group occupied southwestern New Mexico from 1000 to 1250 A.D.), and Korean furniture. Most visitors will find something they enjoy. For more details about the museum and its history, check their website.
One of the primary exhibits at the Weisman is the building itself. Designed by Frank Gehry, the internationally famous architect, the building stands in stark contrast to the surrounding traditionally designed buildings of the University of Minnesota. Among Gehry’s unique buildings are the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilboa, Spain, and the Experience Music Project in Seattle. Check Wikipedia for a look at some of Gehry’s work.
The small homeyness of the Weisman will someday be a thing of the past. In 2007, the museum made public their plans to add 11,000 square feet to the museum, doubling its size. Gehry has been asked to design the expansion of the Weisman, the only Gehry-designed art museum in the United States. The expansion will better integrate the museum with the surrounding area on the University of Minnesota campus. At present, the museum looks like it was randomly dropped into the area, letting the chips fall where they may.
One of the great things about the museum is that there is no admission charge to view the exhibits. There is a $3.00/hour charge to park in the museum’s parking garage (located beneath the museum). Street parking on campus is difficult if not impossible to find. When my wife and I visited the Weisman, we had taken advantage of the “Check Out A Museum” program offered through public libraries in the Twin Cities metro area. The free pass gave us free parking in the museum’s garage.
In you’re in the Twin Cities metro, take some time and give the Weisman a try. I think you’ll enjoy the experience!
Sources:
www.weisman.umn.edu/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry
www.melsa.org/museumadventurePass/
