Hunter Museum
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Perched on an 80-foot bluff on the edge of the Tennessee River, the Hunter Museum of American Art offers stunning views of the river and the mountains surrounding Chattanooga.
CONTACT: Katrina Craven
(423) 752-2070
The Hunter Museum of American Art - an art experience unlike any other
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (April 2, 2008) - You've never had an art appreciation experience like this. Perched on an 80-foot bluff on the edge of the Tennessee River, the Hunter Museum of American Art offers stunning views of the river and the mountains surrounding Chattanooga. This panorama is equaled only by the exceptional collection of American art inside - long recognized as one of the country's finest.
Museum guests are not only enveloped by the river view from the museum's lobby, they can also enjoy a café, Museum Store, auditorium and art studios. Once inside the galleries, the inspiration continues, because it's not just about the art; it's about the visitor. The Hunter is for the entire family to enjoy together. Visitors will see art with new eyes as a way to better understand American history and to learn more about American culture today.
The Hunter Museum focuses on American art from the Colonial period to the present day. The variety of the collection inside is reflected by the architecture of the museum's exterior. The museum is housed in an historical mansion, a modern 1970s era building and a sleek, contemporary building of steel and glass.
The museum's collection includes paintings, works on paper, sculpture, furniture and contemporary studio glass covering a diverse range of styles and periods. A few of the well-known artists whose work is representative in the Hunter include Thomas Cole, Fitzhugh Lane, Winslow Homer, Mary Cassatt, Childe Hassam, Robert Henri, John Marin, Thomas Hart Benton, Helen Frankenthaler, Louise Nevelson, Jack Beal, George Segal, Duane Hanson, Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol.
Museum Overview
As visitors enter the Hunter Museum's soaring lobby, spectacular views of the Tennessee River beckon. The lobby's 40-foot wall of glass surrounds guests with the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Up the curving metal staircase and across an internal bridge, the museum's temporary exhibition galleries await. Since opening, these new exhibition galleries have housed the works of Georgia O'Keefe, Deborah Butterfield and Julie Green, among others. After exploring the temporary exhibition galleries, visitors may want to rest for a moment on the Paley Terrace or they can choose to again cross the museum's internal bridge and visit the 8,000-square-foot River Terrace for breathtaking views of the river and North Chattanooga.
Descending again to the Museum's first floor, guests follow a wood-lined hallway to an area that Museum staff members have dubbed the "Crossroads." At the Crossroads, guests will find comfortable seating, a variety of books and computers to help them customize a museum tour. The Crossroads is a central area where visitors can relax, chat and choose which area of the museum to visit next.
To the right of the Crossroads area, a winding staircase leads guests up to the first floor of the Museum's 1904 mansion. This area houses the Museum's collection of art from the Colonial Period to the post-Civil War era. While the mansion has served as an art museum for more years than it has served as a residence, many of the mansion's original architectural elements remain intact. The beautiful hardwood floors, the crystal chandelier in the foyer, and many other decorative elements were left intact.
On the first floor of the mansion, Museum visitors will see works by Robert Salmon, Lilly Martin Spencer and a portrait by Samuel F. B. Morse - a leading portrait painter in the 1820s whose artistic fame was eclipsed by his invention of the telegraph.
After ascending either side of the mansion's grand staircase the second floor, visitors will find themselves surrounded again by landscapes - large windows in both the front and the back of the mansion showcase the city of Chattanooga and the works in this gallery showcase the American landscape. Guests can also learn more in the cozy second floor 19th Century reading room which offers additional background materials and computers.
Smaller galleries on the second floor showcase a variety of works, including a large painting by James Cameron depicting Colonel James Whiteside and his wife in their home on Lookout Mountain. Visitors who look closely at this painting might recognize the location of the city of Chattanooga, which was just six years old at the time the painting was completed.
After visiting the mansion, visitors can retrace their steps and return again to the Crossroads and continue on to explore other galleries with themes such as architecture as Art and decorative arts. Connecting galleries highlight impressionism and city scenes and early abstraction. One of the most popular paintings featured in this area is the "French Tea Garden" by American Impressionist Childe Hassam.
As guests move through the remaining galleries, they have the opportunity to explore the art of the Depression Era, abstract expressionism and contemporary art. The museum features works by well-known artist Andy Warhol which feature former President Jimmy Carter and his mother, Lillian. The studio glass gallery features many types of glass work, including a beautiful turquoise blown glass piece by Dale Chihuly. Guests who visit the light-filled 21st Century reading room can enjoy views of the river, explore a variety of books or learn more about the art of glass blowing by watching a video produced by a local glass studio.
In the contemporary art gallery, visitors can see works by Whitfield Lovell or Nic Nicosia. Lovell's work, "Hope," is a drawing of a woman who represents the artist's ancestors. The drawing sits atop small jars containing objects that have a personal meaning to the artist. The image and objects work together to form a work that inspires each visitor to discover personal meaning in "Hope." Contemporary art is more than just sculpture or paintings. A video installation by Nic Nicosia explores life in middle-class America.
Throughout their museum visit, guests have many opportunities for interaction - cases with pull-out drawers are in nearly every gallery and give visitors additional information about featured works. Journals or magnetic boards also allow guests to share their reactions to works in the museum's collection. These journals and magnetic musings are collected by museum staff members are will be used to create interpretive signage in the future.
After exploring the museum's collection of art, visitors can venture outside to a sculpture park invites visitors to experience art in the outdoors, take part in studio classes or even attend cooking demonstrations or other programming. The Hunter's enriching and entertaining programs breathe new life into the framed "still-life" that is often associated with art museums.
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The Hunter Museum of American Art is located at 10 Bluff View in Chattanooga. The Museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursdays from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Wednesday and Sunday from 12 p.m.-5 p.m. For more information the public may call the Museum at (423) 267-0968, or visit the website at www.huntermuseum.org.
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