Displaying items by tag: andrew carnegie

It’s reasonable to expect that Jo Ellen Parker will incorporate her extensive background in education into her vision for the future of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. As the first woman to take the helm of the institution since the museum was founded in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie, she is well aware of her responsibilities.

“It’s clear that the next few years will be characterized by increased collaboration, both among the four Carnegie Museums and with other organizations and outreach  — with a strong focus on the educational role the museums play,” says Ms. Parker. “It’s still a bit too early for specifics, as my first three months have been dedicated to listening, looking and learning.”

Andrew Carnegie used the third floor of his Fifth Avenue mansion as a gymnasium where he practiced his putting. The current owner, the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, plans to put a small mini-golf green there on Tuesday when the news media gets a preview of the mansion’s nearly completed $91 million renovation.

The gesture is partly a playful way to honor a piece of the building’s history. But it also represents a larger message that the museum is trying to send as it reopens later this year after three years of being closed: This institution, which highlights the importance of design in everything from architecture to umbrellas, can be fun for all kinds of visitors — not just specialists.

The Smithsonian Institution’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York has received a $10 million gift from the Morton and Barbara Mandel Family Foundation. It is the largest donation in the institution’s history. The generous bequest follows a $5 million donation from the city of New York to help fund the museum’s $79 million renovation. When the Cooper-Hewitt reopens in the fall of 2014, it will have a new third-floor gallery, which will bear the Mandel family name, and 60% more exhibition space, enabling it to present a more significant portion of its collection as well as major design exhibitions.   

The Cooper-Hewitt is the only museum in the United States devoted to historical and contemporary design. Located in the former home of steel tycoon, Andrew Carnegie, the museum has been closed since 2011 while the building and its surrounding gardens are expanded and restored.

Barbara Mandel joined Cooper-Hewitt’s board in 1997 and she has been a member of the museum’s executive committee since 1998.

Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum of Art has acquired 50 works from the Carnegie International, North America's oldest exhibition of contemporary art from around the globe.

The purchases were approved by the museum on Thursday, December 12 and they are the first of two rounds of acquisitions from the International, which opened on October 5. Additional purchases will be announced in the New Year. So far, the Carnegie Museum has added a number of films to its collection as well as a large-scale sculpture by British artist Phyllida Barlow, photographs by Zoe Strauss, and drawings by Iranian artist Rokni Haerizadeh.

The International was launched in 1896 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie to help grow the museum’s collection as well as educate and inspire the public.

The Smithsonian Institution’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York received $5 million from the city to be put toward its $79 million renovation project. The city has already contributed $9.3 million to the endeavor.

The Cooper-Hewitt is the only museum in the United States devoted to historical and contemporary design. Located in the former home of steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie, the museum has been closed since 2011 while the building and its surrounding gardens are being restored and expanded. The Cooper-Hewitt is slated to reopen by fall 2014.

The museum began campaigning in 2006, hoping to raise $79 million for the renovation and $10 million for its endowment. Officials say that over 90% of the funds have been raised. When the project reaches completion, the Cooper-Hewitt will have a new third-floor gallery and 60% more exhibition space, enabling it to present a more significant portion of its collection as well as major design exhibitions.

The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, PA has reopened its modern and contemporary art galleries following a major reinstallation. The updated galleries will be part of the Carnegie International, which is slated to open October 5, 2013. This year’s International will bring together 35 artists from 19 countries and will include a major exhibition of international art, the presentation of the museum’s collection, and a series of events organized in cooperation with the city of Pittsburgh.

Curators Dan Byers and Tina Kukielski helmed the reinstallation of the Scaife Galleries, which hold the Carnegie’s modern and contemporary art collections. Together they selected over 200 objects, many of which had been acquired through past Internationals, and redistributed them throughout 8 galleries.

Industrialist Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Museum in 1895. Determined to build a bold collection of modern art, Carnegie organized annual contemporary exhibitions and sought to educate visitors, promote international understanding of art, and attract the world to Pittsburgh. Through acquisitions made from these yearly exhibitions, Carnegie built the museum’s impressive collection. The Carnegie International became an annual occurrence in 1896 and is the oldest exhibition of international contemporary art in North America and the second oldest in the world.