Cedar Rapids Museum of Arts
Cedar Rapids Museum of Arts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a proud landmark of the community. It was inspired by the art gathered at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. A small group of artists and lovers of art from Cedar Rapids formed a small art club in 1895. The prominent leaders of the club were artists Grant Wood and his close friend Marvin Cone. In the early 1960s, after much hard work being recognised as an essential art body, the group a place in the original Carnegie building. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Arts (CRMA) remains an AAM accredited building. The museum also acquired the original studio of Grant Wood in 2002. This loft studio is known by its fictitious address of 5 Turner Alley and was designed and constructed by Grant Wood.
The CRMA has a collection of more than 78,000 works of art spanning from Roman antiquity to the present. The majority of the collection is American art from the first half of the 20th century. The collection is too comprehensive to be displayed all at once. That means the chances are good that you’ll see different pieces each time you visit. Permanent artists at the museum include Grant Wood, Mauricio Lasansky, Marvin D. Cones, and Roman art donated by Tom and Nan Riley.
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art offers a variety of educational programs for adults, children and families. Art Bites is a free admission program where the Associate Curator or Executive Director speak about a particular exhibition. The CRMA also has a long-running book club. For visitors over 13, there are guided meditations that have a specific theme every month. The museum holds Family Fun Day with activities for all ages three times a year. Due to the pandemic, these have been moved to Facebook and Youtube. CRMA also hosts a half-day week-long summer camp. This camp allows students to work alongside guest artists and have the unique experience of being immersed in art forms that they may not experience anywhere else.
The CRMA offers the ideal setting for corporate events, meetings, and social events. The Carnegie Hall, Auditorium, and Stamats Library promise great venues that are easily accessible. The museum can help organise your private events and even provide you with docent-guided tours of the galleries.
CRMA is always interested in discovering new artists, so if you’re an artist looking for more exposure, the museum can help you.