The Indianapolis Museum of Art will offer special tours and a sneak preview of a documentary as part of the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) Art Museum Day, coinciding with International Museum Day on Friday, May 18, 2012.
In recognition of the important role museums play in their communities, the IMA will encourage visitors to share their experiences during Art Museum Day through museum activities and via social media with the hashtag #ArtMuseumDay.
Special programming includes:
1 p.m. – Creative Hoosiers tour Visitors can learn about Indiana artists, designers, poets and writers with a tour of art by and about renowned creative Hoosiers. Free
2 p.m. – Lilly House tour Visitors can tour Lilly House, the American Country Place Era home of the late Indianapolis businessman, philanthropist, and collector J. K. Lilly, Jr., with eight historic furnished interiors reflecting the early 1930s. Free
2:30 p.m. – Revolutions in French Art tour Visitors can learn about the major art movements from romanticism to modernism in 19th century France with this tour that highlights French artists. Free
7 p.m. – Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World documentary Two months before its PBS premiere, visitors can take a 90-minute journey across nine countries and over 1,400 years of history, art and architecture. Free
“By celebrating Art Museum Day, the IMA continues our everyday mission of serving the creative interests of our community by making art accessible through educational opportunities and public programs,” said Preston Bautista, IMA Director of Audience Engagement.
“Art museums create opportunities for the public to engage directly with works of art in new and meaningful ways—from transformative educational initiatives to innovative public partnerships,” said Chris Anagnos, Executive Director of AAMD. “AAMD believes that art should be accessible and relevant to all, and we are so pleased that the Indianapolis Museum of Art is joining with us and the global community of museums to celebrate the role museums play in their communities and to encourage visitors to share their museum experiences.”
Participation in the international event highlights the value of the visual arts in society, and provides new opportunities for audiences to participate in wide-ranging programs and record their encounters with works of art.
AAMD member museums—located across the United States, Canada and Mexico— include regional museums as well as large international institutions. International Museum Day is organized annually around the world by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). AAMD’s Art Museum Day is an opportunity to focus attention on the role of art museums in North America, as part of ICOM’s global celebration of museums.
A comprehensive list of participating AAMD member art museums will be available in the newsroom of the AAMD website (www.aamd.org/newsroom/). Note that while AAMD’s Art Museum Day and ICOM’s International Museum Day is formally held each year on May 18, some institutions shift their celebrations to adjacent dates.
About the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Encompassing 152 acres of gardens and grounds, the Indianapolis Museum of Art is among the 10 largest and 10 oldest encyclopedic art museums in the United States, and features significant collections of African, American, Asian, European and contemporary art, as well as a newly established collection of design arts. The IMA offers visitors an expansive view of arts and culture through its collection of more than 54,000 works of art that span 5,000 years of history from across the world’s continents. The collections include paintings, sculpture, furniture and design objects, prints, drawings and photographs, as well as textiles and costumes.
Additionally, art, design, and nature are featured at 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park and Oldfields–Lilly House & Gardens, a historic Country Place Era estate on the IMA grounds. Beyond the Indianapolis campus, in May 2011 the IMA opened to the public Miller House and Garden in Columbus, Indiana. One of the country’s most highly regarded examples of mid-century Modernist residences, the Miller House was designed by Eero Saarinen, with interiors by Alexander Girard, and landscape design by Dan Kiley.
Recognizing the IMA’s positive impact on its community, the Museum was named a recipient of the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Services – the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries. The IMA’s commitment to free general admission, programming for schools and teachers, environmental leadership and online initiatives were among cited community contributions in the Museum’s selection for the award.
Located at 4000 Michigan Road, the IMA and Lilly House are open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The IMA is closed Mondays and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days. For more information, call 317-923-1331 or visit www.imamuseum.org.