Kreeger Museum: Where Music and Art Thrive
One of Washington's slightly newer museums is the Kreeger Museum, an eclectic collection housed inside an eclectic house in the Foxhall neighborhood of the District of Columbia. Opened in 1994 as a gift by David and Carmen Kreeger, the Kreeger Museum exhibits the art and music collections of the couple, as well as their architectural tastes, encompassed in the walls of the building.
The Kreegers were great fans of art and music, hosting amateur music recitals in their home and displayed their art collection for guests to view. They collected art for fun and not for investment, and docents will note that many of the pieces, though vastly different in origins and artists, are similar in color, texture and appeal.
The love for art and music if the art collection consists of works from 1850 to 1970s, and include a wide African art collection as well, plus some Indian and Pre-Colombian pieces. European artists include Edgar Degas, Joah Miro, Edvard Munch, Claud Monet, Paul Cezanne, Marc Chagall, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso (of which they have many of his works from early period to late), and August Renoir. American artists include Alexander Calder with his famous mobile, Clyfford Still, Man Ray and David Park.
The building was designed in 1967 by architect Philip Johnson and Richard Foster. It was meant to serve as the Kreegers' residence, but also as a recital hall and museum to display their collection of artwork. The 24,000-square-foot house dedicates 14,000 for the gallery.
The contemporary building incorporates many ancient design forms as well, such as domes which mimic monuments from the Byzantine era and transitions from small to large spaces as used in the Egyptian Pyramids. Each room is designed in some form of 22x22x22 feet space, as used in ancient Greek buildings, and the building is lined with traverine, the same material used on the Colosseum in rome. To create a concert hall, the designers added natural cotton carpeting to the walls for acoustics that can be heard equally from any part of the room. The same carpeting allowed paintings to be moved easily without creating unsightly holes.
HelloWashingtonDC Tip: Exhibitions, concerts, lectures, discussion and other events are held at the Kreeger. Cocktail parties, galas and other fundraisers are also great reasons to don a ball gown and be a part of Washington's elite for an evening. A children's program includes a playful storytime for kids 3-5, and art workshops for children 8-12. Check out the Kreeger Museum quick calendar web page for detailed information.
Posted on May 13, 2011 by Rin-rin Yu
