The Conservation Center often assists museums, institutions, foundations and non-profit organizations with the presentation and care of their collections. Aside from providing a wide array of conservation services, The Center's experts are always on hand to consult on long-term preservation planning, on the display, packing, transport and long-term storage of collections, or to help formulate Disaster Response plans. Our conservators are also brought in on projects to provide courier services and condition reports for lending institutions, or to help with the final stages of exhibition preparation.
Over the past few years, The Center has worked in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on a number of conservation and framing projects. Vice President of Client Services, April Hann, has collaborated with the museum staff throughout their development ensuring a successful opening on November 11, 2011. Since the museums opening, Crystal Bridges has hosted more than 150,000 guests from around the world. April was honored to attend one of the opening receptions of such a prestigious museum. We are pleased to observe the success of this new institution in the heart of the nation.
Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, Crystal Bridges lays at the base of a wooden ravine amid 120 acres of Ozark forest. Over three miles of walking trails, serene gardens and beautiful wooded grounds surround the structure offering guests the opportunity to experience nature in an unconventional way. Founder, Alice Walton, intended to create a facility that celebrated both American art and landscape. World renowned architect, Moshe Safdie, designed the remarkable building that combines the natural environment and art for its viewers. A unique Art Trail features outdoor sculptures and can be a fantastic venue for outdoor events, educational programs or individual meditation. The architectural design encases the galleries and restaurant beneath cooper roofing and glass walls allowing visitors to observe the natural streams, pavilions and clear ponds on the exterior.
The premiere exhibition at Crystal Bridges, Celebrating the American Spirit, features more than 450 American masterworks from the permanent collection dating from Colonial to Contemporary time. The collection is stationed among several galleries and arranged chronologically encircling the campus. As guests saunter through the museum, they experience a journey through American history and culture connected through nature
Grand Opening of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
