Don't miss this free museum and gallery. Always a fabulous exhibition. Give it a few minutes or take your time here. This pushes the boundaries of modern art museums.
Museum is a destination. A must see for anyone launching a student in East Lansing. Pride and joy swell in my heart that East Lansing offers such a museum to the public. Friendly volunteers/students assist visitors. As much as I cringe at cultural wasteland of Lansing this is a bright spot.
Please don't waste your time, and PLEASE do not take children here. One room contained hand made quilts from Pakistan, which I can see the artistic value in although they are not a favorite of mine. The second room contained bundles of junk (think balled up shirts and stuffed animals) hanging from the ceiling. Yes, it was colorful, but that was about it. The third room was filled with a "mountain" of balled up papers that were made to look like bloody rags as well as what looked like bloody hand and foot print paintings/smears on the wall, and the last room was 82 continuous feet of pink "wax" like drippings made to look like dental gums topped with teeth. The teeth were human sized and tiny soldiers sitting on top of the teeth scattered throughout. Randomly throughout the 82 foot straight line, jaw like structures popped out. I'm fairly certain that the kindergarten kids who had a tour there will have nightmares.With the exception of the junk hanging from the ceiling, everything is within easy reach of small children even though you are repeatedly told not to touch it. The museum feels small to begin with, but they do seem to have enough room to have a Starbucks inside, even though you can not leave the small dining area with any food or beverages.I was hopeful for the new museum, expecting sculptures, photography, painting, etc. by both regional and national artists, but the reality of what they offer was extremely disappointing. They also had a donation bin suggesting $10 per person to support the museum.
Ugliest building on campus, looks like a collapse pair of Venetian blinds destroyed by a cat. Contains modern "art" exhibits. If you enjoy modern art this is your place I guess. I'm not a fan. Keep in mind it is not a family friendly place no strollers and you can only bring in paper and pencil no ink or paints.
Having been to many museums all across America, this one presents new art in a world class style. This isn't for everyone and certainly not for groups of small children. If, however, you need a place for quiet contemplation, stay as long as you like. On my first visit I was insulted by the poorly trained 'security' staff. When I tried to register a complaint, I found the other staff smug and aloof. If you like being condescended to, this place is for you.
As an East Lansing resident, I was very excited to see the new and much lauded Broad Art Museum. The architecture truly is world-class and a small city like East Lansing is lucky to have something so unique. However, I was a bit disappointed with the museum's collections. Because of the shape of the building, many of the walls are slanted and therefore, could not be used to hang art. On the whole, I felt that a lot of the museum's spaces were not being used as well as they could have been. Nevertheless, the museum houses a lot of interesting temporary exhibits and I think that the museum will only become better over time.
The building is ultra-modern, a perfect setting for a museum of modern art. You get a slight feeling of vertigo when inside because of the architecture. The current show was modern Chinese art. I would recommend taking a tour to get the most out of the experience.
Picasso is too modern for me, but I know that is art. The stuff here is gross...melted dentures extending across the room inviting you to feel it, a mound of paper garbage splattered in paint, bloodred prints that look like crime scene photos, broken lights all over the floor. This is art? Someone's mother never told them to pick up their mess. The coolest and only exhibit I liked was pictures of airplanes to make up alphabet.
Don't like modern art? Doesn't matter, neither do I, but I love this museum. You won't see a lot of paint and canvases here--it is more like videos, collage, photography, hanging sculpture, fabric, stone, ceramic, sound, whatever it takes to keep the modern ADHD public from even thinking or imagining they are in a conventional museum. The greatest thing is this: even if the place was entirely empty, it would still be worth the trip, because the building itself will entertain you. Do ride the elevator, then also take the stairs. Inside and out, every surface is a surprise. The locals think this building is unpleasant and out-of-context with the surrounding architecture. Can't figure why.
This is a treat....they have very carefully curated exhibits, which change regularly. Knowledgeable docents. Programs are varied and interesting