Museum of Wisconsin Art

Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA)
Former name	West Bend Art Museum
Established	1961; 64 years ago
Location	205 Veterans Avenue; West Bend, Wisconsin 53090, United States
Type	Art museum
Website	wisconsinart.org

A vital cultural center, educational institution, an expanding network of ideas, the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) collects and interprets American art through the lens of a single state. Informed by dynamic initiatives and collaborations, MOWA is an innovative forum for contemporary artists, socially relevant exhibitions, lectures by artists and experts in the field, and engaging classes and activities for all ages. MOWA is located in West Bend, with satellite venues in Milwaukee and Madison. ^[1]

History

Founded by the Pick family of West Bend, Wisconsin in 1961 to collect the works of Milwaukee-born artist Carl von Marr (1858-1936),^[2] the museum currently holds the most comprehensive collection of his work anywhere.^{[citation needed]}

In 1988, it broadened its focus to become a regional museum, rolling out a collection of Wisconsin artists spanning the years from 1820 to 1950. In 1998, its Early Wisconsin Art Collection was unveiled on the state’s sesquicentennial, reflecting its new mission to collect, conserve, document, and exhibit Wisconsin art through the ages. In January 2007, along with the name change, it began including both contemporary Wisconsin art, and work prior to 1820.^[3]

The museum opened a new building on the banks of the Milwaukee River in West Bend in April, 2012.^[4]

References

^ Museum of Wisconsin Art
^ Lawrence Sussman. "West Bend Art Museum 'an asset to the public'", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2006. Retrieved 2009-06-27.^{[dead link]}
^ David Schuyler, "Art Museum in West Bend to double size, raise millions", Milwaukee Business Journal, October 8, 2006. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
^ Schumacher, Mary Louise (November 13, 2012). "Winters named director of West Bend's Museum of Wisconsin Art". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2014.