In focus: Art Museum enlivens summertime activities

art museum

The Princeton University Art Museum offers year-round programming, including a range of new exhibitions this summer, as well as evening social events. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Photo: Frank Wojciechowski

African figure

The art museum features more than 72,000 artworks from across the globe, with several noteworthy examples from Africa. [Hongwe artist. Reliquary guardian figure, late 19th-20th centuries. Wood, copper alloy and bone; h. 58.5 cm. Museum purchase, Henry Strater, Class of 1919, Fund and an anonymous donor (y1972-34)] 

Photo: Bruce M. White 

The Princeton University Art Museum is offering a range of exhibitions this summer, all of which are open to the public.

First among these is a landmark exhibition exploring the advent of color photography as a fine art form in the 1970s. "Starburst" is described as a surprising look at a misunderstood era, and is on view until Sept. 26.

The museum also goes outside its own walls with the exhibition "Inner Sanctum," an examination of the changing purposes and identity of the Faculty Room in Nassau Hall, one of the nation’s most historic spaces, filled with portraits that speak to 250 years of history, on view until Oct. 30.

Dutch painting - Bloemaert

Princeton's art museum houses distinguished collections of artworks that span ancient to contemporary art. [Abraham Bloemaert, Dutch, 1566-1651. "The Four Evangelists," ca. 1612-1615. Oil on canvas; 179.0 x 227.3 cm., frame: 212.7 x 261.0 cm. Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund (y1991-41)] Photo: Bruce M. White

Also on the calendar is an exhibition of one of the great contemporary ceramic artists (and a former Princeton faculty member): "Presence and Remembrance: The Art of Toshiko Takaezu," running through Sept. 11.

A range of events enriches July and August, including the museum’s first series of outdoor film screenings (featuring "Chinatown," "Jaws" and "Shampoo") on three successive Thursday evenings beginning July 22, in addition to an evening of bluegrass in celebration of an American summer on Thursday, Aug. 12.

Sault Ste.-Marie

"Sault Ste.-Marie, Ontario, August 13, 1974," by Stephen Shore, is one of the photographs displayed this summer at the art museum's "Starburst: Color Photography in America 1970-1980" exhibition, which showcases the work of 18 artists from the 1970s. [Stephen Shore, American, born 1947. "Sault Ste.-Marie, Ontario, August 13, 1974." 1974, printed later; chromegenic print © Stephen Shore, Courtesy 303 Gallery, New York]

Another new offering is the "Artful Adventures" program, through which children visit art exhibitions with a "passport" to map their travels, and are encouraged to come up with creative ideas themselves.

Artful Adventure passport + sheets

A new family program, "Artful Adventures," offers children the opportunity to learn about art at the museum by exploring the collections through self-guided scavenger hunts and a passport to map their travels. Design: Office of Communications

Founded in 1882, the art museum is a cultural and educational resource for the entire University community, as well as visitors to the campus. It features a distinguished collection of approximately 72,000 works ranging from ancient to contemporary art, and spanning the world. Each year about 130,000 people visit the museum, which charges no entrance fee.

The museum offers outreach to the public through an electronic newsletter, a Facebook page and a Twitter page.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.