Throughout history, museums have adapted their architecture in response to evolving ideas regarding their presentation, scholarship, and visitor services. Originally developed as sites to house private and royal collections during the 19th century, museums displayed their works in grand neo-classical structures meant to resemble ornate temples. At its conception, the main objective of the museum was to morally enlighten and improve its visitor. As time progressed however, modernism developed and the goals of the museum changed from edification to the stimulation of emotions. In order to accomplish this new goal, museums transformed and introduced new forms of museum architecture to promote aesthetic appreciation of their collections and buildings alike. This new style of architecture was bereft of internal and external ornamentation as well as historical references, and it put forth a new “white cube” standard for museum spaces. The modern museum became outdated as it is unfit for the contemporary public that desires entertainment, experiences, and education from museums. As a result, contemporary art museums have, and are, continuously adapting their architecture to fit the needs of the public and the ever increasingly connected and globalized world. Currently, museums are metamorphosing their physical spaces and built environments in order to accommodate the contemporary museum visitor and serve as experiential institutions. This paper traces and exemplifies the transformative narrative of the contemporary museum through an analysis of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
About the presenterAllison Smith
Allison Smith is a senior at Union College in Schenectady, New York. She majors in Art History, and has minors in Public History and French and Francophone Studies. Allison has studied the arts abroad in Bali, Indonesia and Galway, Ireland. Her academic interests include 19th century European Art, Feminist Art, Architecture and the Built Environment, and Public Memory.