On December 11, the Nelson-Atkins will celebrate its 75th anniversary. I have always thought the story of the Museum's collection was interesting so I did a little bit of research.
Most museums are built around an existing collection or promised works of art. This was not the case with the Nelson-Atkins. The combined estates of two families provided for the construction of a building and the acquisition of a collection but neither one owned what would have been considered museum-quality works of art.
As construction of the Nelson-Atkins began in the early 1930s, so did the construction of our collection. Many people were instrumental in building the collection but no one individual made his mark as deeply as Laurence Sickman.
Among the many exquisite pieces of art that Sickman acquired for the Museum was the Ming temple ceiling that continues to amaze visitors in the Chinese Temple Gallery, several handscroll paintings that were acquired directly from China’s last emperor who was living in exile in Japan, as well as a jade Ritual Disc with Dragon Motif (above) that has been described as the “single most famous jade carving” in existence.
Because of the foresight of the Museum's first trustees, the western half of the original building was left unfinished, allowing curators and leaders to create a truly comprehensive collection that rivals many top American museums.
Click here to read more about the history of the Nelson-Atkins.