Museum Developments in Richmond

[burt]

Some more fine reporting from the locl media. That's for shots of the galleries that we've seen for the last 25 years.

But haven't the old galleries been redesigned and retrofitted with some art heretofore stashed away in storage in anticipation of new space in the expansion? I think, for instance, the Sydney and Frances Lewis gallery has been enlarged. And I don't recall the room with glassed-in exhibits and the poof in the center, nor the silver-ware exhibit. Surely, the rare Russian bejeweled egg collection will get more prominent display.

Also, there is a shot or two of a bridge connecting old and new buildings which clearly show construction activity.

And wasn't it announced that the entire facility would be closed for 10 months prior to grand opening in May of 2010? I think Andrew Cothern's pictures were made during a non-hardhat preview of the existing and rearranged galleries.

http://www2.timesdis...-213002/276946/

Here's a construction update:

http://www.vmfa.muse...otos_dec09.html

As I have pointed out in earlier posts, the building styles in and around the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts are truly eclectic:

1st: The original brick-clad VMFA and later additions.

2nd: The brand new stunning expansion of the museum still under construction.

3rd: The former Confederate Widows' home which is now administrative offices for VMFA.

4th: The small wood-framed chapel.

5th: The Princess Ann style houses on Grove Avenue.

6th: The Mediterranean style home on the corner of Grove and The Boulevard.

7th: The tomb-like Confederate Memorial on The Boulevard.

8th: The classical Virginia Historical Society's Museum (once called Battle Abbey) on The Boulevard at Kensington Avenue.

9th: The new parking deck which is in the process of being landscaped.

10th: Benedictine Church and school across Sheppard Street between Hanover and Stuart Avenues.

and,

11th: The Robinson House which is all that remains of The Old Confederate Veterans home immediately north of what will be the main entrance to the new expanded VMFA.

The Virginia tourism office and shop now located on 3rd Street in the Greater Richmond Convention Center will be relocated to the Robinson House on the VMFA campus.

Edited January 4, 2010 by burt

[burt]

See Arts in Metro Richmond thread for more information about the May 1st re-opening of Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

[burt]

Will Governor Wilder's foundering attempts to establish a slavery museum in Fredericksburg help or damage efforts in Richmond to develop a commemorative slave museum near Main Street Station?

Here's a story from today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...-222806/328262/

Edited March 4, 2010 by burt

[ric75]

Children's Museum expansion in Short Pump...

Local Children’s Museum to open branch in Short Pump

[Shakman]

Children's Museum expansion in Short Pump...

Local Children’s Museum to open branch in Short Pump

So when is the State Capital moving to Short Pump?

It is all good. It shows that there is activity happening within the MSA.

[calwinston]

So when is the State Capital moving to Short Pump?

It is all good. It shows that there is activity happening within the MSA.

Honestly i think they should of have expanded the one they already have on Braod Street. I really dont buy the excuse that moms have to drive there kids 20 minutes to downtown and 1/3 of our membership is in western Henrico as a reason to pick up and locate a satellite campus in Short Pump. By expanding the one you already have i think membership will go up. Now kids will have to travel to 2 different places for the experience most kids across the country get in one central museum.

[wrldcoupe4]

What happened to the downtown dept stores as they built suburban stores to be closer to their customers?

[burt]

Ratz playing basketball may not be your thing, but for you out-of-towners, this video opens with a great view of The Science Museum of Virginia in the 2500 block of West Broad Street.

Built in the early 20th Century as Richmond's Union Railway Station (called Broad Street Station locally because of lingering post Civil War disdain of "The Union") it was converted to Virginia's Science Museum in the 1970's.

From today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond...ll-title-10298/

Although it was run a few weeks ago, there is a video of the Monument 10K race route which you can access by clicking the bottom right of the rats video.

Edited April 2, 2010 by burt

[burt]

Expansion of The Virginia War Memorial on Belvidere Street at the north end of The Lee Bridge in downtown Richmond is nearing completion.

Here's a video of construction progress courtesy of today's Richmond dot Com:

http://www2.richmond...eak-peak-38450/

Edited May 26, 2010 by burt

[jbjust]

Glowing article about the VMFA in the Wall Street Journal today. No time to check to see if it's online.

[calwinston]

Glowing article about the VMFA in the Wall Street Journal today. No time to check to see if it's online.

Here is the article On WSJ.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703559004575256763161159570.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_lifestyle

[calwinston]

That Wall Street Journal article was a great find JB. It talks about VMFA being the most underrated art gallery in the nation even though it is one of the top ten in the nation!

Edited June 2, 2010 by calwinston

[burt]

That Wall Street Journal article was a great find JB. It talks about VMFA being the most underrated art gallery in the nation even though it is in the top ten in the nation!

Cal and jb, if you haven't done so, take a look at Brent's pictures of the new VMFA in "The Arts in Metro Richmond" thread. They are under date of May 3, 2010. There are also numerous stories in that thread about the museum.

I'm keeping an eye out for a NYTimes review of the facility.

Edited June 2, 2010 by burt

[calwinston]

The new Childrens Museum of Richmond at Short Pump opened this past weekend! With this opening Richmond is the only merto area in the country with 2 Childrens Museums. The Grand Opening will be this Saturday June 12, 2010!

This is good news but in honesty I wish they had just expanded the Main one on Broad Street in Richmond! If these officials were true visionaries they would try to resemble the Childrens Musuem in Indianapolis!

http://www.downtownshortpump.com/2010/06/04/childrens-museum-of-richmond-opening-short-pump-location-this-weekend/

Childrens Museum of Richmond

http://www.c-mor.org/

Childrens Museum of Indianapolis

http://www.childrensmuseum.org/

[calwinston]

The new Childrens Museum of Richmond at Short Pump opened this past weekend! With this opening Richmond is the only merto area in the country with 2 Childrens Museums. The Grand Opening will be this Saturday June 12, 2010!

This is good news but in honesty I wish they had just expanded the Main one on Broad Street in Richmond! If these officials were true visionaries they would try to resemble the Childrens Musuem in Indianapolis!

http://www.downtowns...n-this-weekend/

Childrens Museum of Richmond

http://www.c-mor.org/

Childrens Museum of Indianapolis

http://www.childrensmuseum.org/

Here's a sneak peek video of CMoR at Short Pump

http://www2.richmond.com/video/2010/jun/03/childrens-museum-of-richmond-second-loc-05670/

[calwinston]

jbjust, on 01 June 2010 - 01:51 PM, said:

Glowing article about the VMFA in the Wall Street Journal today. No time to check to see if it's online.

Here is the article On WSJ.com

http://online.wsj.co...tions_lifestyle

Cal and jb, if you haven't done so, take a look at Brent's pictures of the new VMFA in "The Arts in Metro Richmond" thread. They are under date of May 3, 2010. There are also numerous stories in that thread about the museum.

I'm keeping an eye out for a NYTimes review of the facility.

Here is an article from the LA Times.

http://travel.latime...seum-of-f-6945/

Edited June 16, 2010 by calwinston

[burt]

While not exactly a museum, the Virginia War Memorial on South Belvidere Street at the Lee Bridge (Rt. 1) will sort of fit into that category when its 17,000 s/f addition opens in September.

There will be several exhibits and display halls, including one relating to the Korean War which will feature swirling snow.

Here's a video and story from today's RTD;

http://www2.timesdis...rm04-ar-263757/

And Happy Fourth of July to everyone. I'm going to walk a few blocks west tonight and watch the Macy's Fireworks show which will blast off from barges in the middle of the Hudson River between 23rd and 59th Street. .

Edited July 4, 2010 by burt

[burt]

Just in case some of you out-of-town readers (or locals, too) have missed all the hip-to-do about the newly opened and renovated Virginia Museum of fine Arts, check out all the excellent photos and comments in the thread titled ARTS IN METRO RICHMOND.

[burt]

This story from the current Style Weekly is titled "Great Expectations" and is a comprehensive report on the newly re-opened Virginia Museum of Fine Arts which has doubled in size..

It was written by Edwin Slipek and photographs are by Scott Elmquist.

http://www.styleweekly.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=C660D197ACB84572AAFB76F644158E06&AudID=20938C672A3049EEB0CF33069AEE1AE0

[burt]

While its neighbor on North Boulevard, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, prepares for a blockbuster exhibit of Picasso works on loan from Musee National Picasso in Paris from February 19th through May 15th, 2011* The Virginia Historical Society is ramping up for an exhibit of Rockabilly Music in Virginia.

The exhibit focuses on well known musicians such as Elvis Presley as well as Virginia artists such as Patsy Cline.

The Rockabilly Exhibit opens this Saturday, August 28th and will end December 12th in the handsome Virginia Historical Society building at the corner of North Boulevard and Kensington Avenue.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...ss26-ar-473213/

*See Arts in Metro Richmond thread for details on the Picasso show.

Edited August 26, 2010 by burt

[burt]

Here is a video about the major Picasso exhibition which will open February 19th, 2011 at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond:

http://static.mgnetwork.com/rtd/special/VMFA/picasso/Picasso.html

[burt]

Grand Kugel gets eye replacement at the Science Museum of Virginia.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...ball-ar-573423/

How many of you know that the 29-ton Kugel ball, unique in the World, floats on a thin film of water? You can touch it with a finger and it will slightly rotate.

There also is another smaller Kugel ball on the Science Museum property.

Edited October 20, 2010 by burt

[burt]

The Virginia Holocaust Museum is hosting the largest exhibit in its history. It is called "Blessing" and details the collaboration between Jews and Christians during the turbulent war years in Poland.

Richmond is the 14th city chosen to display the exhibit.

From the RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/entertainment/2011/jan/23/tdarts01-virginia-holocaust-museum-opening-a-bless-ar-785269/

Virginia Holocaust Museum

2000 East Cary Street (the only building in 8-block-long Tobacco Row not converted to commercial or residential use.)

The exhibit opened January 24th and will run until June 1st

Admission is free.

Edited January 26, 2011 by burt

[burt]

The Science Museum of Virginia in the former Union Station of Richmond is rebranding itself.

Check the video.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jan/31/tdmain01-science-museum-of-virginia-redefines-its--ar-809522/

[burt]

PICASSO --BEGINNING FEBRUARY 19th THROUGH MAY 15th 2011 at The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond.

The anxiously anticipated Picasso exhibit from Musee National Picasso in Paris is just 19 days away from launching its only East Coast appearance in America at VMFA. In fact, Richmond is one of only 7 stops on its Worldwide tour. It began in Helsinki, moved to St. Petersburg, then to Moscow and just closed at the Art Museum of Seattle. After The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, it will move on to San Francisco and finally, Sydney before returning to Paris.

If you haven't got tickets yet, check this website:

http://www.vmfa.state.va.us/Picasso/

Edited January 31, 2011 by burt