Seattle Art Museum
Mar 10th, 2008 by admin
Artist’s Paradise…
Having recently undergone a major renovation, the Seattle Art Museum also referred to as SAM, is situated in Seattle’s downtown area in Washington State, in the USA. It has a fine collection of Mannerist paintings, Italian Renaissance paintings, and an enigmatic collection of Australian Aboriginal Art. Its large collection of 20th century American art includes the Conversion of Saint Paul, View of Paris, Flagellation and more. There are more than twenty four thousand items displayed in the four story glass, marble, and terra cotta building. The expanded permanent collections of the American, Native American, and African art galleries are worth visiting. The 1st two floors of the museum are committed to the local community and have a collection of computers, games, magazines and more which can be used by the public. To save money one can visit the museum on the first Thursday of each month as the admission is free for most of the exhibitions.
The Seattle Art Museum was inaugurated on 23rd June 1993 in the Art Moderne building in Volunteer Park. The actual building was donated by Margaret Mac Tavish Fuller and her son Richard E. Fuller. This art museum not only displays a collection of art but is also responsible for holding art activities and other creative activities. Right in front of the museum is the sculpture of the Hammering Man which also appears in cities all over the world. The museum building has expanded in the last year to include a spacious gallery, a new restaurant and an expanded museum store.
SAM Downtown
The Seattle Art Museum Downtown has a wonderfully designed indoor space which has been expanded to include a popular sculpture park. There are sites on the internet which provide visitors detailed information about the visiting hours, free days, special exhibition ticket prices and more. The first Friday of every month is free for seniors allowing them to view the permanent collection galleries without paying any additional charges. The second Friday night of every month is free for teenagers, and members are always given free admission. The times when the museum will remain open despite the holidays are also mentioned, as well as when the museum will remain closed. This enables a person to get information well in advance and save an unnecessary trip. One can get information about the location and entrance of the museum, the maps of the galleries, the parking facilities, bus information and the additional services that are offered for visitors with disabilities.
One can get information about the restaurants, the SAM shop and the library which is open to the public as well as to members. The SAM shop has a wide range of Asian commodities and a large collection of books which give information about Asian art and culture. There are several SAM tours available which include highlights from the collection. The focus of these gallery talks and tours is to introduce pieces of art from the permanent collection at SAM. There is a group discount of up to 40% if one makes advance reservations, and there are special school tour programs as well. One can even hold events or receptions at the SAM which has a capacity of accommodating 1000 guests and 200 guests for a banquet or other types of gatherings at any given time. Various events such as weddings, meetings, and corporate events can be held here, which can include services provided such as catering as well as banquet seating. The food served by TASTE which is the restaurant located on the ground floor of the art gallery takes care to provide an assortment of exotic dishes along with exclusive cutlery and crockery for the hosting of special events. The dance floors and museum floors are ideal for dancing. There are ten different areas which may meet a persons requirements; all that is needed is a deposit and to make reservations at least five days prior to an event. Audio and visual equipment are also provided on request.
Seattle Asian Art Museum
One can explore a variety of paintings, Buddhist sculptures, images of Buddha and information about the spread of Buddhism from India throughout the world. All other information regarding the holidays, tours available, the events to be held and more, are all mentioned on the site. One can find out details by researching via the internet.
Olympic Sculpture Park
The Olympic sculpture park has changed the entire 9 acre area into a lively green open space for art. This is a new waterfront park in Seattle where one can see a range of sculptures and carvings in an outdoor setting. One can enjoy the fantastic sights of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. The site has undergone rapid development in the last hundred years and the innovative designs of the park have helped in achieving a number of environmental restitution goals. SAM has contributed in restoring this former industrial site into a unique setting for outdoor sculpture and use for the public.
More about SAM
The Seattle Art Museum is a five storey structure featuring the Hammering Man, which is a dynamic carving that was created by Jonathan Borofsky. Standing forty eight feet in height, this sculpture serves as the virtual symbol of the museum. The main entrance of the museum has the name chiseled above it in gigantic letters. The 4th floor of the museum has a sequential order of galleries depicting Western art. The artwork of the earlier period is relatively fewer in number, however there is an expansive display of 20th century artwork including work done by Pollock, Lichtenstein and Warhol. The rest of the space is used for prints, photography and modern art. The 3rd floor displays a collection of non- Western art from Asia, Africa, Latin and Native America. The 2nd level is exclusively reserved for holding exhibitions while the ground floor has a gift shop and a coffee shop below. SAM was mediocre in comparison with other great galleries like the Metropolitan; however with its grand restoration and expansion plans which have been completed recently, the museum has chances of rising to the position of the top ranks among art museums.
