The Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement

     Yay! It's open --- finally! St. Petersburg Florida continues on its trajectory of becoming a world class city of museums with the opening of the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement  ( https://www.museumaacm.org/about.html ), the only museum in America dedicated to the architectural and artistic Arts and Crafts Movement during the period 1890 to 1930.  After years of delay, the museum finally opened on September 7, 2021, and it is a very worthy addition to a city that already boasts The Dali, the James Museum of Western Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Florida Holocaust Museum, just to name a few.

    Like the James and the Dali, the MAACM started as a collector and philanthropist's private collection.  In this case, Rudy Ciccarello created the Two Red Roses Foundation and oversaw the design and construction of the Museum to exhibit some 2,000 objects that are a part of the Foundation's collection.

 "Ciccarello, along with Alfonso Architects, designed and oversaw the incredible task of creating the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement in St. Petersburg, Florida. The five-story, 137,000 square-foot museum is a work of art itself, with incredible architectural elements such as a grand atrium, skylights, and a dramatic spiral staircase—all adorned with period art, light fixtures, windows, fireplaces, and more. MAACM features more than 40,000 square feet of gallery space, as well as a destination restaurant with private dining rooms, a retail store, an upscale café, a children’s gallery, a reference library, a theater, a graphic studio, a beautiful event space for weddings and corporate events, and an outdoor green space enhanced by original period tiles and fountains." (About the museum: Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement. About the Museum | Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2021, from https://www.museumaacm.org/about.html.)

    The architecture is stunning. Shapes, construction materials, and construction methods clearly reflect the contents of the museum, relying heavily on the use of wood and ceramics or pottery. Each floor is devoted to a different medium, for example, lighting on one floor, tile and pottery on one floor, furniture and architectural elements on another, etc. There are also a couple of galleries of photographs of the period, including several by well known photographers Alfred Stieglitz and Edward S. Curtis, and a gallery of children's books illustrations. Interspersed throughout the museum are a few rooms, taken from grand houses and re-created for visitors to enjoy. Even visitors who are not experts on the movement may recognize famous names, like Newcomb and Rookwood in pottery, Stickley in furniture, Tiffany in lighting, and Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright in architecture. 

    It's hard to pick a favorite gallery; I enjoyed them all, especially the pottery and lighting. However, my favorite peace in the whole museum is not even Arts and Crafts Movement, strictly speaking. It's the Arlyn table, created in 1988 by George Nakashima, from a redwood slab. Nakishma had developed his woodworking skills while incarcerated in a Japanese-American internment camp as a boy.

    A couple of months ago, we were among the museum members given sneak preview tours of the museum. Of course, we had to promise not to talk about the preview, and we were not allowed to take photos. I have to admit that, after the tour, I kind of doubted whether the museum would be a thriving one; I wondered if people would make return visits. A few months later, I've changed my mind. There were quite a few visitors on Saturday, and they all seemed very interested, and I overheard snatches of really lively conversations. The MAACM is a worthy addition to St. Petersburg's museum life, and I think it will find its audience.

 

 

If "Virginia is for Lovers," Philadelphia is Definitely for History Nerds, part 3

     Besides history, visitors to Philadelphia will find themselves surrounded by art and great food, two things that I'm really interested in.

    Philadelphia is a city of murals, often called the "Mural Capital of the World." They're everywhere, literally thousands of them. 

    A must-see is the Philadelphia Museum of Art (https://philamuseum.org/ ), with the exterior made famous, of course, in the famous training scenes from "Rocky", and, sure enough, it is not that unusual to see a visitor or two trying to make the run, or at least posing by the statue. Inside, visitors will find an amazing collection of art. There's a huge American art gallery, featuring local artist Thomas Eakins and many other works that American history buffs will recognize. There are also large collections of Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, Asian art, and medieval arms and armor. Spend hours or days, your choice.

    Next on your list should be the Barnes Foundation, maybe the most exciting and unexpected art museums I've visited. (https://www.barnesfoundation.org/ ). I'd never heard of the Barnes before our visit, but I was so glad to find it. The museum started with the collection of Albert C. Barnes, who made his fortune by co-developing a treatment for gonorrhea in the early twentieth century. In 1922, he founded the Barnes. The museums collections are mostly Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and Modernists, but the collection also includes ancient African, Asian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Native American pieces. The most interesting thing about the museum to me was that the art was arranged and exhibited in a way that resembles how Barnes himself displayed the works in his home. The museum is divided into many rooms, and, in each room, the art covers the walls and the displays, and they are not segregated by age, style, or region. You might find African, Greek, and Impressionist works grouped together. Sometimes, it seems there is no rhyme or reason, but, in some arrangements, the viewer can see how the works relate to each other - at least in their mind.  The Barnes was our favorite "discovery' of the trip.

    Almost next door to the Barnes is the Rodin Museum, a branch of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and one of the largest collections of Rodin sculptures in the world. Auguste Rodin is considered the father of modern sculpture and is my favorite sculptor. I've been lucky enough to visit the Rodin Museum in Paris, and the Philadelphia version is just as awesome. (https://www.rodinmuseum.org/ )

Two Days at the Beach – And Some Great Museums in Saint Petersburg Florida

By Jeff Burns

The beaches of the Tampa Bay/Clearwater/Saint Petersburg area have drawn throngs of tourists for over a century, but there is much more to enjoy than just great beaches. History and Art lovers have some great museums to visit too!

One of the jewels in Saint Pete for a number of years has been the Dali Museum, opened in 1982. From the Museum website:  “The Dali Museum celebrates the life and work of Salvador Dali (1904-1989) and features works from the artist’s entire career. The collection includes over 2,100 works from every moment and in every medium of his artistic activity, including oil paintings, many original drawings, book illustrations, artists’ books, prints, sculpture, photos, manuscripts and an extensive archive of documents. Founded with the works collected by A. Reynolds and Eleanor Morse, the Museum has made significant additions to its collection over the years.” The collection is amazing, and if you are a Dali aficionado, it is a must-see.  The Dali also attracts other world-class exhibits that complement Dali’s works. 

Perhaps the most unexpected discovery on our most recent trip was The Imagine Museum, a museum dedicated to the medium of art glass. Maybe it doesn’t sound exciting at first, but believe me, you will be blown away (pun, get it?) by what you see.  Incredibly beautiful and provocative works can be found in every gallery, and you will see things that seem impossible.
 

The Tampa Bay History Center is located in downtown Tampa on the beautiful Riverwalk and is well worth your time. There, see the history of the area unfold, from the earliest inhabitants to Spanish exploration to the development of the cigar industry, and much more.

For more about things to do in Tampa, check out our older blog on Ybor City (the start of modern Tampa), and consider the Henry Plant Museum.  The Plant is located in an 1891 hotel, not too far from the Riverwalk and Ybor City areas.  It is now a museum owned by the University of Tampa and dedicated to the Gilded Age, the period when the wealthy flocked to Tampa to vacation, thanks to the work of early Florida railroad magnate Henry Plant.  The hotel was also the headquarters of the American forces as they prepared for the Spanish American War.

One Day at the Beach – And Some Great Museums in Saint Petersburg Florida

By Jeff Burns

The beaches of the Tampa Bay/Clearwater/Saint Petersburg area have drawn throngs of tourists for over a century, but there is much more to enjoy than just great beaches. History lovers have some great museums to visit too!

After a morning (or afternoon) at the beach in Saint Petersburg, visitors owe it to themselves to sample an iconic landmark for lunch or dinner.  Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish has been open for more than 65 years, serving a relatively simple menu:  smoked fish (mullet, mackerel, salmon, mahi) and a couple of sides.  The fish is smoked for hours, in a tradition that is centuries old, going back to indigenous Floridians.  Be sure to order the smoked fish spread as an appetizer.

 

While in Saint Pete, you have to visit the newly opened (April 2018) James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art. Located in a beautifully remodeled parking garage downtown, it’s designed to look like sandstone cliffs from the outside.  On the inside, you will find 30,000 square feet of space displaying a portion – yes, a small portion at that – of a huge private collection of western and wildlife art. Most of the artists on display are still living, and they may not be as famous as Remington or Catlin, but it is an absolutely phenomenal collection, one of the most beautiful collections I’ve ever seen.  The James may well be the best western art museum in the world, or at least a close second to the Buffalo Bill Center in Cody Wyoming. (Educator discount for admission with ID.)

The Florida Holocaust Museum is also located in downtown Saint Pete. Of course, it is a difficult subject, but this museum does an excellent job of illustrating and educating about the Holocaust. We were fortunate to catch an incredible special exhibit about the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann, considered the architect of the Final Solution. The museum also offers free traveling trunks for educators to use in their classrooms. (Educators admissions are free with school ID.)

Don’t forget to stop by the Saint Petersburg Museum of History to see local history, the role of baseball and aviation in the region and even a replica of King Tut’s Tomb.