GRAM Celebrates 10th Anniversary of New Building with Free Public Celebration Day
Visitors invited to enjoy free museum admission and programming for all ages
GRAND RAPIDS, MI, November 14, 2017 – The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) announced today that it’s hosting a free public celebration day in honor of the tenth anniversary of its newly constructed building at 101 Monroe Center. The celebration will take place at the Museum on Saturday, November 18, from 10 am – 5 pm.
Visitors are invited to enjoy free museum admission and programming throughout the day, as well as birthday cake and refreshments, art making activities during Drop-in Studio, guided tours of GRAM’s green features, and more.
Schedule of Events
10 am – 5 pm: Free museum admission
10 am – 12 pm: Birthday cake and refreshments
10 am – 4 pm: Birthday party hat making
11 am: Drop-in Tour
11 am – 4 pm: Drop-in Studio: Pop Art Screenprints
1 pm: Drop-in Tour
In conjunction with the events, visitors are encouraged to explore GRAM’s current exhibitions: Andy Warhol’s American Icons, Christian Marclay: Video Quartet, and Carl Wilson: Her Purse Smelled Like Juicy Fruit and Other Tales.
“The past ten years at the Grand Rapids Art Museum have truly been exceptional,” commented GRAM’s Director and CEO, Dana Friis-Hansen. “As we look forward to the future, it’s important to thank the many visitors, volunteers, donors, and board members who have made it possible, as well as invite new audience members to explore all GRAM has to offer. In this spirit, we’re excited to offer free admission and programming to the public on Saturday, November 18.”
Founded in 1910 as the Grand Rapid Art Association, the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s initial collection was assembled and relocated to a Greek Revival residence in 1924 and renamed the Grand Rapids Art Museum. In 1981 the Museum moved to its previous location in the historic, Beaux-Arts style Federal Building.
The Museum was designed by Kulapat Yantrasast of Los Angeles-based wHY Architecture, with construction of the new museum beginning in September 2004. GRAM opened the doors of its new building on October 5, 2007, and has since then welcomed over 2,000,000 visitors to its new location.
GRAM received gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program in March 2008 — the first newly built art museum in the world to receive LEED certification.
101 Monroe Center has highlighted hosted 113 exhibitions since opening, ranging from exceptional regional art featured in the Michigan Artists Series to world-renowned masterpieces visiting from the Whitney Museum of American Art. The Museum also includes an Education Center which has served hundreds of thousands of students and families through a wide variety of studio programs and events.
In honor of ten years at the Museum’s new building and the important role volunteers have played in GRAM’s history, GRAM has published Commitment and Community, a history of the Grand Rapids Art Museum written by and from the perspective of GRAM’s passionate and dedicated volunteers. Commitment and Community is available for purchase in The Museum Store.
About the building
The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s new building at 101 Monroe Center opened in October 2007. Designed by Kulapat Yantrasast of wHY Architecture, the Museum is the first LEED Gold certified art museum in the world. Sited in the heart of the growing West Michigan community, the Museum is located adjacent to architect Maya Lin’s Ecliptic, an urban, sculptural park in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. GRAM’s 125,000 square foot building features 20,000 square feet of gallery and exhibition space, which allows the permanent collection to be showcased throughout the year.
About the Grand Rapids Art Museum
Connecting people through art, creativity, and design. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the Art Museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED® Gold certified status. Established in 1910 as the Art Association of Grand Rapids, GRAM has grown to include more than 5,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft.