Last week, a group of Museum staff got a behind-the-scenes tour of the renovation going on in the American and American Indian galleries. It blew my socks off! The space will be absolutely amazing.
We started in the hallway that used to hold the Thomas Hart Benton murals. It took me a few minutes to remember what that space used to look like. Here are the galleries just off the hallway. They are putting in huge electrical upgrades and special art-hanging walls.
The main hall in the American section will be called Rowland Hall. It will contain art beginning in 1776 and the architecture will match that time period.
We learned a little about the safety upgrades and saw some of the original clay tile walls from the 1930s.
The American Indian galleries were not as far along but the red iron supports are in place for the casework that will be throughout the spaces. They will be the same specially crafted cases that are in the African galleries in the Bloch Building. There will be 37 cases in the American Indian rooms.
I'll let Barb the Builder tell you about those things in detail. Be sure to keep reading!
Comments (2)
Thanks for the update. It is amazing that STILL more is being done at the museum, and done so well. Small (I hope) request - is there any way you could put artists renderings or images of models?
I was there in Feb. and will be again in May and really excited. Between the renovations, the Bloch addition, and new acquisition, it is getting difficult to visit the entire museum in one day.
Posted by woodrow | April 21, 2008 2:02 PM
Posted on April 21, 2008 14:02
I will check on getting a rendering or something that shows what the completed space will look like. Thanks for your interest!
Posted by Jodi | April 22, 2008 11:41 AM
Posted on April 22, 2008 11:41