James A. Michener Art Museum Named Best Gallery Or Museum In Pennsylvania By American Art Awards
Each year the American Art Awards board selects the 25 Best Galleries And Museums In America.
HighlightHollywood.com reported in 2016: “The impressive AAA board chooses only one museum or gallery per state per year. Their selections are based on years established, industry reputation, online buzz, location, size, socially relevant exhibits, motivational and educational programs, represented artists as well as artist, client and visitor references.”
American Art Awards: “We consider thousands of the most established art venues from Alaska to Florida. This year we chose several museums and art centers with historical significance of 100+ years, some with over 100,000 annual visitors, some specializing in global acquisitions, some American treasures, others offering objects preserving their state’s legacy, and some celebrating one specific artist’s life work. We’ve also selected some of the most reputable art galleries; some which offer every style of international art, others exhibiting works from one region or one genre. A Native-American and an African-American facility are included in our Top 25, as well as a long-standing women’s design institution, a popular Boston sculptor’s co-op, and a Hollywood Warhol hot spot.”
The James A. Michener Art Museum won the distinction of Best Gallery Or Museum In Pennsylvania, 2018, and one of American Art Awards 25 Best American Galleries / Museums, 2018.
American Art Awards: “The Michener is a stunning 40,000 square foot accredited world-class facility attracting annually more than 135,000 visitors. Their world-class group of paintings included in their permanent collection number about 3,000 objects. A gorgeous and unique facility; an East Coast treasure.”
HISTORY: In 1988, with the support of many citizens from across the region, the James A. Michener Art Museum opened as an independent, nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the art and cultural heritage of Bucks County. Named for the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and supporter of the arts, the Museum is housed in the repurposed 1884 Bucks County Jail. The Museum has evolved from a modest facility with a locally derived mission to an accredited world-class facility with a broad vision. Changing exhibitions, ranging from international touring shows to regionally focused exhibitions, attract annually thousands of visitors from around the world.
MISSION: The James A. Michener Art Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits American art, and promotes the work of nationally and internationally known Delaware Valley artists of all eras and creative disciplines. The museum presents exhibitions that explore a variety of artistic expressions and offers diverse educational programs that develop a lifelong involvement in the arts.
PERMANENT COLLECTION: The Michener has built a permanent collection of more than 2,800 objects that reveals the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Bucks County and beyond. As the center for the study of Pennsylvania Impressionism, the Michener Art Museum is home to a world-class group of paintings created in the early 20th century by artistic luminaries such as Daniel Garber, Edward W. Redfield, and William Langston Lathrop, all of whom settled in Bucks County and depicted the grandeur and rustic beauty of the local landscape.The growing collections include American paintings, sculpture, works on paper, decorative arts, and Arts and Crafts and Modern Studio furniture.
THE FACILITY: Surrounded by historic prison walls, the Patricia D. Pfundt Sculpture Garden and terraces, and a landscaped courtyard, the Michener encompasses extensive public space that includes educational classrooms, a Museum shop and café, an art research library, and gallery space. The dynamic glass-walled Edgar N. Putman Event Pavilion provides a dramatic space for events, weddings, and Museum programs.
Permanent exhibition areas include the Nakashima Reading Room, a traditional Japanese-style room filled with classic Nakashima furniture; James A. Michener: A Living Legacy, which celebrates Michener’s prolific career as a writer, public servant, art collector, and philanthropist; the Garber Mural, a spectacular 22-foot painting A Wooded Watershed by Daniel Garber; and the Lenfest Exhibition of Pennsylvania Impressionism.
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS: Throughout the year, the Michener hosts a wide range of art-based programs open to the public, including lectures, artist conversations, gallery talks, artist studio tours, dance performances, jazz performances, Ladies Nights Out, family-themed activities, and other events. For a complete list of upcoming events, visit MichenerArtMuseum.org.
EDUCATION: The Michener offers art classes for children (starting in pre-kindergarten) and adults. Classes include instruction in drawing, painting, sculpting, and printmaking as well as programs designed to enhance artistic awareness and inclination in children and adults alike. Additionally, the Museum welcomes thousands of school students each year through the School Visit Program which, through generous support of The Rose Group, includes free admission for pre-booked school groups (prekindergarten through 12th grade).
James A. Michener Art Museum / 138 S. Pine St. / Doylestown, PA 18901 / 215.340.9800
www.AmericanArtAwards.com annually awards 25 museums and galleries in Spring, and with their critique in Autumn, awards 300 artists (painters, photographers, sculptors and digital artists).
ALL 25 BEST GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS HERE: https://www.americanartawards.com/2018-best-american-galleries-and-museums/
