Susquehanna Art Museum

Kunkel Building
Kunkel Building, November 2010
Location 301 Market St., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°15′39″N 76°52′51″W / 40.26083°N 76.88083°WCoordinates: 40°15′39″N 76°52′51″W / 40.26083°N 76.88083°W
Area 0.1 acres (0.040 ha)
Built 1914
Architect Mowbray and Uffinger
Architectural style Chicago, Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements
Governing body Private
NRHP Reference # 82001534[1]
Added to NRHP November 09, 1982

The Susquehanna Art Museum is a non-profit art museum in United States. It is located in Midtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the state's capital.

Museum history

In 1989, the Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM) began as a mere dream in the minds of a group of central Pennsylvania art educators who felt strongly that the capital city needed an art museum. Guided by a desire to provide a forum that would be innovative, relevant, and engaging, these educators worked alongside community leaders, businessmen and women, and a group of dedicated volunteers to make this dream a reality.

A little more than two decades later, SAM is Central Pennsylvania’s only dedicated art museum, mounting exhibitions that reflect the diverse cultural heritage of the community as well as a wide range of aesthetic interests. The galleries feature the work of local, regional, national, and international artists.

In addition, SAM’s innovative outreach program, the VanGo! Museum on Wheels, reaches thousands of students each year and brings original works of art to students who otherwise lack such opportunities. VanGo! teaches all children that creativity lies within each of us, providing a forum for further development of important problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

SAM is dedicated to encouraging and inspiring visitors of all ages to become more familiar with; knowledgeable of and appreciative of the art and culture that surrounds them. Educational programming is developed to enhance and enrich the visitor experience, providing a wide variety of classes, lectures, workshops, discussions, critiques, and more for adult learners. SAM’s youth art programs explore drawing, painting, sculpture, art history, and art appreciation—a unique experience for students to learn from original works of art in a museum setting.

Structure and contents

The Susquehanna Art Museum recently transformed the former Keystone Trust Building, located at 1401 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102. The museum unveiled their new home to the public on January 16, 2015.

The Susquehanna Art Museum is open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and 12 p.m.–5 p.m. Sunday. Appointments can be made for those wishing to visit on Monday. General admission is $8, with discounted $5 tickets for seniors, veterans, and teachers, and free admission for children under 12.

The museum was once located in the heart of Harrisburg's central business district, where it occupied several floors of the Kunkel Building, also known as the Feller Building, at 301 Market Street. The structure was originally constructed as a bank in 1913, later converted to a department store, and now houses the art museum with arts organization offices above. The building's accents include a White glazed terracotta exterior which creates architectural diversity. In 1925 the building was expanded to the rear in the same style as the original 1913 front portion.[2] The Kunkel Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]

The Doshi Center for Contemporary Arts was founded in 1972 by a group of community volunteers. "Doshi" is a Japanese word meaning "brotherhood." Still run by a group of local artists serving in a volunteer capacity, the Doshi maintains its original mission - to highlight new and inventive work by emerging and established artists. In 1997, the Doshi was incorporated into the Susquehanna Art Museum.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
  2. ↑ "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Note: This includes Stephanie S. Malik (March 1982). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Kunkel Building" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  3. ↑ City of Harrisburg, Visitors Guide
  4. ↑ Doshi Gallery history

External links