backstory50: 1974 Inaugural Exhibition
Fifty years ago this week, the Neuberger Museum of Art opened its doors to the public with its very first exhibition, The Making of a Museum.
On view in that show were more than 300 objects: among them were promised gifts from Roy R. Neuberger and works from the private collections of Edith and George Rickey, Hans Richter, Aimee and Eliot Hirshberg, Elaine and Raphael Malsin, the Friends of the Neuberger Museum of Art, and various artists. Many of these objects came to be a part of the Museum’s permanent collection.
The very first work of art you would have seen walking through the Museum’s front doors on that day was Isamu Noguchi’s The Bow. See photographs from the celebration of the opening of the Museum on that day in this video:
Today’s 50th anniversary thank-you goes to the generations of museum staff who have worked so hard across the last fifty years to assure the quality and continuity and exceptionalism of the Neuberger Museum of Art.
Tracy Fitzpatrick
Director, Neuberger Museum of Art
Watch for a new backstory every Wednesday and follow us on social media as we share stories about the Museum’s history, our evolution to the present day, and look ahead to our exciting future. Stay up-to-date with the latest news and “NEU 50 Years” updates on our anniversary webpage.