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Seattle Art Museum
Rating Details »
Category: Museums
Neighborhood: Downtown1300 1st Ave
(between University St & Union St)
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 654-3100
- Hours:
Wed. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
107 reviews for Seattle Art Museum
For such a small space the Seattle Art Museum packs a lot of punch! There are really only two main stories showing their permanent collection and limited exhibitions- but I'm tempted to say this is the most fun I've ever had in an art museum.
SAM has a well balanced mix of everything. From European to Native to Christian... there is a little bit of everything. However- I was just in love with the Modern and Contemporary section of this museum! I was so happy to see the Double Elvis- an early silk screen from Andy Warhol. Also, the Mercedes Benz Coffin and the Some/One pieces were awesome. What really did it for me though were the limited exhibitions...
The Michelangelo: Public and Private exhibit was so exciting. There were about a dozen early sketches(studies) by Michelangelo that were intended for the Sistine Chapel. Along side them were other early paintings, artifacts and drawings never intended to be seen by the public. This exhibit really did it for me and made my trip to SAM well, well worth it.
Overall a really awesome museum- and a great idea to check out if you're a tourist in the downtown area!
The Seattle Art Museum has a number of events and I most recently visited for the tour by Kevin Kallaugher. Current rotating exhibits include some Calder pieces and Michelangelo.
The Michelangelo sketches were interesting and there were also a few paintings alongside them. First, when you look at some of his practice work, the anatomy is slightly off (which he gets right in the paintings). Most of the paintings were angelic scenes with exquisite anatomy: after looking at these, I'm convinced that the requirement for Heaven must be merely being incredibly buff. Every corner beyond the Pearly Gates must have a 24 hour Fitness and a juice bar. If that means that they leave all the Oreos in Hell, I may have to reconsider some life choices.
Anyways, there are a mix of other pieces: some Congolese art, an interesting sample from a coffin maker from Ghana as well as a few local glass pieces. A small sample of European (from Roman to Flemish) and Egyptian pieces are also part of an exhibit.
As for the layout of SAM itself, it's nice in the fact that the rooms are relatively huge (compared to some museums) and gives you a lot of space. The downside is that although the place is relatively large, the size of the exhibits is a little smaller than you'd expect. You can easily move through SAM in two hours.
During the wine tasting portion afterwards (perhaps not worth mentioning since no one would confuse me with Robert Parker, but my vote would be for the syrah from Walla Walla), I was considering what the role of SAM should be. It's a larger regional museum and so tries to have a small sample of a number of different subjects.
Thus I wonder whether the goal of SAM should be to have a greater focus on artists from the Pacific NW. You could have the smaller rotating exhibits, but the more permanent pieces could certainly have a more regional flavor. There are a number of great local artists and I think SAM would be in a position for a large flavorful regional artist exhibit as opposed to a number of small broad-focused exhibits. I think there's some room for specialization here.
I'm proud to live in a city that has such a great museum! The SAM's permanent exhibitions are wonderful and as of late I've been very impressed with their temporary exhibits. Anyone catch the Roman Art? It was so interesting!
When compared to museums like the Orsay, the Louvre, Reina Sofia, El Prado, etc - SAM can't really compete ... but those are among the world's BEST. For a small city Seattle really is lucky to have such a lovely collection. From Warhol to Dali to O'Keeffe and more, I've enjoyed every trip I've taken there. The only issue I have is the price. I feel like it's just a wee bit steep. If you become a member and pay for the membership (and visit at least 3-4 times a year) it's totally worth it!
Another great way to get in is to go on member Mondays and explain you're from out of town and you didn't know they were closed. I did this once - accidentally - and they let me in! It was so much quieter and less crowded. I enjoyed myself a lot! Maybe if you don't decide to become a member ... at least pretend to be a tourist! It makes the entry fee worth it.
This museum is large and beautiful, and the art stays pretty interesting. The current exhibits were a Calder exhibit and a Michelangelo exhibit that featured some of his "lost" sketches. This was all very interesting, however I really didn't feel the main museum had enough of a focus. If you want to see a little art from each corner of the world, than this museum will be very good for you. They also had a small special film exhibit at time, and I did appreciate how this museum recognized cinema as a true art. It is worth spending the admission and killing a couple of hours though.
Very cool place! I especially loved all the different floors of art - it's got something for everyone! Plus, we were there on a very warm afternoon and the building was perfectly temp controlled.
As for the museum store, it was all right. It didn't have much with the actual SAM name on it. I only walked away with a magnet.
Visited the SAM today as part of the Smithsonian Free Museum Day. Have not visited the SAM since they reopened, so I thought it was time for another visit. While I am not artsy or get what makes art great, I can appreciate beauty when I see it.
The SAM has a decidedly decent collection that is great for Seattle. There are many exhibits from different genres of art. Though I have to say some items felt non-traditional in an art museum. For instance, the African art section has a section with a couple of small toy trinkets in it that would make more sense at a Toys R Us than at the SAM.
Then there is a fine china section. A bit odd for me to see. Then there was an art piece of a toilet. Not sure why it is there, but it made me wonder the origins. Like if it was ever used functionally. I guess art takes your mind to weird places.
There are pluses about the SAM. There was an interesting Andrew Wyeth retrospective. I was not familiar with his work, but was quite taken with it. There was an inscription in the exhibit that allude to how good art is memorable which I agree with and is how I feel about the SAM. Some of the pieces that have the effect are the paintings from Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, as well as the strange piece of a man in bed crushed by a giant black rat.
While the SAM is not really particularly my taste, I think there are several items there that are worth seeing and making memory of.
So I was walking down First and decided to give this place a try. After all, it's the city's art museum, they should have the city's creme de la creme of art pieces here, right? Upon entrance, I noticed a Bahausian architectural style dominating most of the galleries. A lot of flat paint was also being used here to perhaps bring out more of the styles echoed in the artwork.
The Taurus/Sable car art pieces did amuse me, until I realized this was the most massed produced and unreliable car to hit the American market during the 1990s. It's almost sad that all they turned out to be were great art pieces. Also, a note to whoever did it-thanks for removing the engine.
The Remembrance pieces were very nice done and worked along many lines of other pieces that complemented each other. The notable collections, in my opinion, were the porcelain room, Target Practice special exhibition.
Personal highlights included:
1. The Warhol work such as the print of Elvis
2. Roy Lichtensein's work
3. Ed Ruscha's Damage
4. Most of the pieces of Painting During Attack were very drawing to the nature of working outside of convention. They displayed a great deal of pressure and tension through some abstract methods.
I don't believe the concentration on Middle East, Islamic, and Eqyptian art were very good in collection, size, and display. Also, the Georgia O' Keefe piece, considering my bias, made me want to hurl.
I found that the SAM held mostly an abstract focus on work, and tended to be more "out there" than what I was expecting. I believe the work is what you make of it, and so I took in the unusual seat of feeling oddly out of place. I felt that Los Angeles artistic focus was far more conservative than to what I was looking at here. I left somewhat satisfied, but also disappointed in their conventional approach to some of their sections such as the African Art or Asian Art.
This art museum was great. Filled with beautiful paintings and artifacts that were so old they want back to the BC.
Security guards on every corner but all very friendly. We asked if we could take pictures even though we knew you probably couldn't and the guard told us no but thank you for asking LOL. He was nice.....besides all the security they had there, it was no wonder with all the wonderful things they had in that museum.
We didn't get to stay long since we rushed through before we had to head back home, but it is a place that you must see when in Seattle.
I would agree that Seattle Art Museum is trying to figure itself out. I applaud their recent efforts, as from Feb to May 2008 there is a special exhibit of Roman sculpture, mosaics, and art from the Louvre in Paris, most of which has never been displayed. This was a real treat, but the admission was a bit steep for what was I considered a limited selection. The flow from room to room is not easy, and the museum itself is poorly laid out. Recently they also had a special display of three of the original golden panels from Ghiberti's "Doors of Paradise."
To wrap it up: it falls short of DC's Smithsonian, and WAAAAAYYYY short of NYC's Metropolitian Museum of Art. But hey, it's still worth visiting, but only if there's a special exhibit that you're really interested in. The last special exhibit I went to featured pieces from the American Revolution, and was fantastic. sooooo..... 2.5 stars for the regular collection, 4 stars for the exhibits.
I'll admit it. I don't get art but I have been to SAM a couple times. It is nice to walk around and check everything out but its not like it changes very often so the repeat value is very low.
I'm a big fan of the glass art section they have though wish it was bigger. Also the Asian and local Native American art sections are good to check out.
SAM makes a great date place considering it seems like most people that live in Seattle never seem to make it inside.
Sadly, my wife and I had a bad experience at the Seattle Art Museum. After walking around Pike Place Market, we went down the street to the museum to check it out. We paid the "donation" and went in. It seemed like a very nice museum until we had a problem with one of the security guards. We saw people taking pictures so we assumed it was ok. My wife took on the second floor and the guard from the third floor started yelling for her to stop. She did, but it was not over yet. As we went up to the third floor, he stopped us to "remind us there is no photography." We said that we were never told and I apologized. He then said in a very demeaning tone "Well, we have rules. Have a nice day" and under his breath, he called us assholes as we walked away. Thanks Seattle Art Museum for such a lovely experience and for keeping it classy.
Seattle Art Museum Quiz
1. What is laying on top of the sleeping man in Katherine Fritsch's sculpture?
2. Sean Lander's work "On the Wall Above" is a tribute to which famous painter? Don't forget to read the letter in the painting.
3. Finish this quote in Eric Fischl's work "to be titled": "The true artist helps the world by
revealing _________ __________."
4. Forget glass slippers- I want a glass hairpin like the Roman glass blower who made such a hairpin for his wife in 3 A.D. Who was this Roman genius?
5. Who is the "Some/One" in Do Ho Suh's captivating sculpture?
6.Where is minimalist sculptor Robert Morris' "untitled- board and steel" to be found?
7. Famous Venetian Painter GB Tiepolo's fresco hangs in the Porcelain Room- what is the name of this fresco?
8. Name the "detritus of the streets" artist? Bonus: In one of his other work- he erased a
drawing by what other artist?
9. Find the painting with the 400 year old bubbles- title and artist?
10. Iconographic rebel artist painted the American flag and this SAM painting starts the "Painting under Attack" exhibit.
PS- You can search for answers online- but your best bet is the museum experience!
Submit your answers to be graded.
9-10 Correct: Chief Curator
7-8 Correct: Associate Curator
5-6 Correct: Docent in Training
3-4 Correct: You enjoy the museum
1-2 Correct: You should visit more often
0 Correct : Sign up for a museum tour
I really enjoyed my visit to the Seattle Art Museum. I loved the open layout. There were some true gems in the permanent collection. I especially loved the sculpture called "Some/One" by Do-Ho Suh. It is a large suit of armor made of military dog tags. Absolutely amazing. I also loved the porcelain room. The huge room was filled with a great selection of different porcelain styles and grouped together in that fashion. I am a total geek for that stuff so I was suitably impressed. There were a smattering of modern art paintings - your pop art was covered by Lichtenstein and Warhol. Another standout exhibition was the Titus Kaphar installation. His technique of deconstructing paintings really kept my interest.
As far as traveling exhibitions, the one on display when I went was a small Wyeth retrospective. I really enjoyed the installation - I had never really paid much attention to his work but was amazed by his ability to capture light and texture in his paintings.
Very well spent money for a museum buff like myself. Highly recommended.
P.S. They only get 4 stars because of their photography policy. I can understand no flash photography and maybe even no photography of special exhibits but come on people - what is the big deal?
BE FOREWARNED...check to see if its "family day" before you venture forth. We made the mistake of going yesterday which was family day. The exhibits are wonderful but about 11:00 a.m. families started showing up with really little kids. Uhhhhh...the Alexander Calder exhibit is a sight to see but little kids just want to play with the mobiles or they are already bored stiff and want to start screaming. So, if parents want to bring their toddlers to the museum that's great BUT they should have an out of the way place to be...seriously. Like the sound proof rooms in some churches.
We made the mistake of taking a break to process and discuss...we went to the Taste restaurant...the entertainment for the families was going on and it was so annoying and waaayyyyy to loud. My friend and I are both slightly hearing impaired so it was impossible to carry on any discussions. We just gulped down a great cup o'joe and went back to view the Andrew Wyeth pictures.
The Andrew Wyeth exhibit was beautiful but in a small room and VERY crowded...crowded to the point of being hot. It was difficult to get to some of the pictures but the ones I did see were absolutely astonishingly beautiful.
I will go back to the SAM but maybe on a weekday when school is in session and parents are at work and not tempted to take their toddlers to the art museum. The SAM is a beautiful structure and well laid out. Very nice...very, very nice with the exception of the family day thing.
By the way, I do think it is wonderful for children to experience fine art but maybe not toddlers... I'm turning into a fuddy duddy, I am well aware of that. But to truly enjoy fine art it is too distracting to have small children running about and screaming. Just my opinion...for what its worth...
We went to SAM on the FREE First Thurs of the month, 7/2/09. Very cool. We took pics outside of the Hammering Man - very famous sculpture.
Their new exhibit is Andrew Wyeth "Remembrance" that's small, just ok for me.
Other art are ok, thought the hanging cars were cool.
No photos allowed in the entire museum - bummer.
Hrs: 10-9
Pretty good art.
I don't have much to compare SAM to but I can tell you it pales in comparison to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I've never been impressed with the permanent collection and I hate the stupid exploding cars in the lobby. Admission ain't cheap ($15) so the only exhibits worth paying for IMO are the travelling ones ($20) like the Roman stuff from the Louvre and the more recent Impressionism collection.
Also they take their closing very seriously and once at 5pm on a Sat were literally herding people out the doors. I was in the gift shop (SAM SHOP) and was like, "Fine I didn't want to stay here and spend more money ANYWAYS!!!" I get it when a bartender gets impatient for customers to leave at 2am, but really, why the urgency in the early evening? I do think the gift shop is pretty cool, I've gotten some nice things there. Though alot of it is really pricey. I think there are smaller gift shops in the exhibit areas. Also some loungey areas.
I ate in the restaurant (SAM TASTE) once which was fairly ridiculous. The food was good but the portions were TINY. I don't know how the server could keep from laughing hysterically as she brought my silver dollar - sized "crab salad" out on a plate the size of a serving platter. I think we had apps in the bar once too; nothing much stands out from that experience other than service wasn't very good. I doubt I'd ever go the the restaurant again, unless I did one of the free night things.
SAM is an OK museum but I think everyone's seen better.
I was really impressed with this art museum. There is a nice mixture of classic art and modern art intertwining throughout the building, keeping things interesting as you migrate between the collections. The floor plan is large and open which various painted walls reflecting the collections and adding to the experience.
It is probably just my style but I found the contemporary exhibits more enjoyable. The Titus Kaphar works were amazing...so smart, well executed, and fascinating to look at and read about. I definitely spent the most time in there. As the booklet states, "beautiful and halting" describes it well. I might even add "haunting" to it with all the cut outs/shadows of people from the original scenes. Just outstanding.
Another aspect of the visit I want to make note of was the employees. So often, the room attendants are hovering around you to make sure you know not to touch anything or take pictures. The whole "remember, I'm WATCHING you." I didn't get that vibe here at all which was nice.
All in all...very impressive museum with a nice collection. Good variety and interesting traveling exhibits.
Good but not great. The SAM is located in downtown Seattle and was well worth the money I paid for it, but I wasn't particularly blown away. It's divided up by theme instead of in any chronological order, and it seemed that on the whole, decorative arts are more prominent than traditional work at the SAM. There's an Asian art room, some Aboriginal art, a few American furnishings, and some modern African art along that vein. Smattered around the galleries are also a few modern pieces, including a Jackson Pollock painting, but it's from a transitional stage in Pollock's work (read: not from his peak and therefore cheaper to obtain at auction). The whole gallery has the same slapdash feel--it's like the SAM wants to be a little bit of everything but isn't really big enough to accomplish this.
The only thing I found myself extremely impressed with was the SAM's extensive collection of Northwest American Indian art. I sat through a rotation of videos detailing the making of beautiful traditional handicrafts, some of which were displayed in the gallery. Another highlight included the SAM's beautiful collection of porcelain, displayed in a mirrored room with a fresco on the ceiling that was rescued out of an Italian villa.
I spent three hours combing through the permanent collections with the help of my trusty audio guide (which are thankfully free!), and left feeling like I'd seen everything I wanted to see. The SAM is solid, but I've definitely been to better art museums elsewhere.
I love the First Thursdays Free! If it wasn't for First Thursdays Free, I probably never get through the door. There is lots to see: old porcelains, paintings, photographs, films, modern stuff (mylar blankets stapled to sticks is art?), sculptures, a giant black mouse on a sleeping guy, cars suspended from the ceiling with light bars sticking out of them...you get the idea. Some was spectacular, some was odd, and some was humorous.
Family Visits
There are a couple nice areas for small children to have a break. One appeared to have a corner for nursing mothers, but I didn't look too closely. Ha! There is a light amount of nudity, none of it would be shocking to my small children, like a woman reclined on a bed with her top uncovered or a sculpture of a naked man.
Date Visits
This is a good place to take a date who wants something cultured. There are benches and chairs here and there to sit and watch a film or just look at all those old cups and plates.
Transportation
The parking garage in the basement is super convenient. Enter on Union between 1st and 2nd. Bus access is really easy too.
ok ok
I just had a strange experience as a temp employee. A few years ago I worked for SAM as a front staff person, interacting with potentially 7-8,000 people per day. It was a fun job.
I liked the museum better before the remodel. I am unsure of the significance of cars hanging from the ceiling.
I have gone on field trips with students here and the kids found lots to enjoy.
Free Thursdays are a way to go.
Wow...all these years and I can't believe this was my first visit! What a great museum. I came here specifically to see Titus Kaphar's fabulous work (SJSU BFA alumni!, great artist and nice guy) and what I saw at the rest of the museum looked pretty good. Nice contemporary cross section of work balanced with the usual crowd pleasers. Cai Guo Qiang's Fords hanging downstairs when you first walk in gave me a good indication this musuem has some new blood pumped into the leadership. I'll definately be back!
The front desk lady was very upset with me because I was pronouncing 'Chinook' incorrectly (I had a 2 for 1 from the yearly Chinook Book). It was pretty sad that she was very upset that I pronounced Chinook incorrectly and made a huge fuss about it in front of everyone.
I'd think one who would see many locals AND non-locals would understand the importance of basic tactfulness for visitors to a gallery. English is my 2nd language, and for one, I think I'm pretty proficient in pronouncing many words from a variety of languages and locales but I don't go out of my way to make others feel stupid about mispronunciation.
That was a year ago. I'm not so inclined to go back because of this experience.
Free Thursdays rock! I haven't been there since they reopened, and honestly, I should probably give it one more star just for the free days they offer, but I'm being stingy.
The Indian paintings by Brush were very interesting. The figures were sleek and the subjects were romanticized, but I wondered why there were only male figures. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see one female. Was it taboo for him to use a female model--assuming he used models rather than memory. In any case, I was definitely impressed.
Then there was the exhibit by Titus Kaphar--amazing! I loved how he took classical pieces and reinterpreted them. And it was fascinating how he used tar in his paintings. I would have liked to have seen more of his work displayed, but I guess I'll have to keep on the lookout for his future work and exhibits.
And then there's the suit of dog tags that is just stunning. I'd go to SAM just for these 3 exhibits.
Apparently, this museum does not take the Microsoft Prime card anymore! Important to note for all you 'Softies looking for a cheap day of culture.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/5/2008
I think the best way to sum this museum up is "Short but sweet."
This museum ain't half bad, and has… Read more »
"Someone out to tell them [Americans] how to behave in a museum. They talk as if they were at home..."
Charles Dantzig quoted in "Objectif Lune," in Harper's magazine, May 2009.
from Encyclopédie capricieuse du tout et du rien.
http://www.amazon.fr/E...
Just a suggestion.
* * * * *
His words would have fallen on deaf ears at SAM, as mine did.
Public behavior--of museum visitors--is one matter. (The last few times I have been to SAM, not SAAM, the public has been pretty respectful).
Museum guards are another. They are employees, after all.
Strolling through the galleries, a number of them shoot at a glance hither and thither and then continue talking with a colleague about the meal they had at such-and-such restaurant, the last movie they saw, and some person they know but don't like, and here's why.
All within earshot of museum visitors two galleries away.
Unapologetically unconcerned...about letting their mouths flap open at the drop of a hat, whistling, boisterously laughing their heads off, and clapping their hands. Shouting from one gallery to the next.
Well, as long as they don't burn the museum down, I guess.
Art often requires us to listen, to SEE, to pay attention. If we fidget, are distracted, cannot pay attention, we might as well be doing something else at that moment: having cup at Starbuck's, for instance.
I recently wrote to SAM about this recurrent annoyance.
And no surprise, no response. Too busy counting tickets...
And new acquisitions/bequests, such as a Monet, a striking reddish orange-suffused interior by the post-Impressionist Edouard Vuillard, and a large insolently intransigent portrait by the die Brucke Emil Nolde, all three now hanging in the modern art galleries.
Just avoid those rooms when the guards are shooting the breeze, which can be often.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/8/2007
With the new addition on Union Street of the Washington Mutual Tower, the Seattle Art Museum adds… Read more »
Am I the only person who thinks that the Hammering Man is actually a Hammering Woman? No, seriously, look closely at the figure next time you're around the SAM. The way the back of the figure's head is all bumpy? Could be a bun. The neck is a bit thin, the jaw line rather delicate... overall, the Hammerer is much thinner and smaller than you would expect from someone doing that sort of manual labor. Anyway, I like to think of it that way.
The SAM is a great place to debate these sorts of things. There are some great permanent collection items (and some not-so-great ones that also inspire great discussions along the lines of "Why is this in a museum?!"). Plus, the special exhibits are usually fabulous. Just DO NOT go on the last weekend an exhibit is in town. It's pretty much guaranteed that you'll be there with everyone else who feels a duty to see the exhibit before it's gone, and consequently you'll be smashed and crowded and annoyed.
Fifteen bucks. No PRIME card discount.
After I paid and entered to meet some friends, my first experience was a museum security guard LITERALLY SHOUTING at some poor guy who was about to photograph his family and didn't realize it wasn't allowed.
Turns out my friends were waiting *outside* the museum, so I never got to see it. Hopefully the art is better than their security staff.
This place is huge! There are 3 levels of artwork from modern, cultural, photographic and historic art pieces.
I'm glad I had an audio tour device to learn a little more details about certain pieces. I think we spent at least an hour and half looking at everything.
It's $15 for adult admission, which I was a little surprised.
The only cool thing at SAM is the big hammer guy in front. And the fact that the camels are anatomically correct. The cars are you kidding me, lame. I don't like Warhol paintings. I wish this city put more into SAM, I know they remodeled, but I want more, like Italian art gallery more!
First off, the Coast Salish exhibit was awesome. Incredibly educational, inspirational, while at the same time exhibiting timeless beauty of the culture of the native people of the PNW. From the tools they used, to the carvings they placed outside their homes to the resurgence of the culture it was amazing to see. The exploding car in the lobby was pretty neat to see as well. Also a lot of the Renaissance art was impressive as well along with the porecline room.
But what is it with closing time? I've never been herded out of a place in such a manner so -1 star.
OK mabey i just dont like this museum because i am not a big fan of modern art or mabey i am just not a big fan of the price but than again there was 7 of us and it was bound to be steep. I did enjoy some parts of museum but was totally lost w/ some of the pieces i just dont understand how a bunch of newspapers spray painted light blue and placed over lapping other pieces of newspaper is art but i guess that is just not my strong point. Mabey i just need someone to explain it to me but my friends seemed to enjoy it so i am ok. But if you like modern art and enjoy watching someone paint the same room over and over and over in different colors than this is definitely the place for you if you modern art isn't for you than i suggest you go for a walk around greenlake and than go grab a coffee at diva expresso cause i can insure you it would be a heck of a lot cheeper.
I love the SAM. They not only have wonderful exhibits they also have some amazing programs for children, families, and adults. If you have kids you should take them to First Saturday - Kids Day and Second Saturday - Family Day. They generally have an art activity, dress-up, music and dance, as well as other activities corresponding with the current exhibit. The Seattle Asian Art Museum's Garden and Cosmos Kids Day was fantastic and ran for 3 months. The activities, dance, and music were wonderful. You should definitely find a kid if you don't have one and take them to the SAM. You'll have a great time!
As for adults, you should check out First Fridays. They usually have a DJ, dancing, and a bar (need I say more). Oh, they have some wonderful lectures and films as well. Go to their website and see their Public Programs. There's something for everyone.
This is one of the most pretentious art museums in the country and the middling collection is housed in a building that is more of a recycled Saks Fifth Avenue department store than a proper backdrop for art. There is little creativity lurking about here.
There are just a handful of art museums in the country that don't allow personal non-flash photography, but this is one of them. Is there a reason? Well, don't ask anyone here because they've been trained to act dumbfounded by the very thought of your question.
There are some great Pacific Northwest totem poles and related items on display, but the overall visit here is a pedestrian experience -- a denouement without the climax. Instead, step on over to the Olympic Sculpture Park where the experience is more thrilling and the price is free.
This review is hard for me, because 1) I have some very good pre-remodel memories here, but 2) I am less impressed with the museum itself after the remodel.
One thing I love about the museum is the fact that, while it's a not a big museum, the gallery spaces are quite large. I can also spend hours in the shop, browsing all the cool stuff (although I wish they'd sell prints of some of the art on display in the galleries). They also have one of my favorite pieces of art of all time, as soon as you walk into the third floor gallery from the escalator - Double Elvis by Andy Warhol (love!).
The admission is a bit pricey if you aren't a member and it's not as large as I remembered. In fact, I was finished with the museum after only about 2 1/2 hours, which surprised me. I also found myself simply uninterested in some of the art they had on display. However, there are several exhibits that I will be interested in during 2009, so I am looking forward to those and hoping that they will be slightly more intriguing than what they have currently.
BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG FAN.. did I mention that I am a big fan of SAM?
One of my clients works here, and I pretty much get the scoop on what is cool for the next exhibit, and what is not cool in the museum. I.e. there are certain pieces that are placed a certain way to make the pieces work. I don't really have a perfect example but when I go to SAM I get the hook up, and free art is fun art :)
every first thursday of the month it's free so take full advantage of the free art showing, if you like art and can't afford to go. Go to the first thursday of the month. :) You'll fall in love every each gallery
After living in New York and being a member of MOMA, MMA and The Guggenheim, this museum pales in comparison. Putting that aside, however, I think it's an ok museum with a presumably quirky Curator. I only say this because while the collection is decent, things are all just sort of slapped together in random rooms. Pop art with impressionists, cubism with native american art, etc, etc (this isn't completely accurate, but you get my point). Perhaps it's just me, but when I go in to study a piece of art, I want to study the style and compare it to other pieces of the same genre...it's really tough to do here since you'll need to go to a different room to find a similar piece...strange.
I did get a chance to see the Impressionism show, but it wasn't all that enjoyable due to the crowds. Everyone just walked randomly piece to piece without any traffic direction. It really made for a poor experience.
First of all, my trip to SAM was less than typical considering it began around 3 AM. As a tribute to the departure of the Louvre's Roman Art installment, they stayed open for 35 hours straight. Now if only I hadn't gotten to the Roman portion of the museum around 5 AM, I think I could've given it 5 stars.
Alyson at SAM @ 3AM: OMG, OMG, being in the museum in the middle of the night is one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alyson at SAM @ 5AM: Woo. Roman art. (blink, blink, blink) Sleepy time now?
Admission to the museum was half off between the hours of 2AM and 7AM, but surprisingly this didn't encourage cheapster nutsos - the patrons were mostly youngish college-type kids and some older die hards.
It was my first trip to SAM, and I was pretty impressed at the diversity of the installments ranging from American Pop Art to Aboriginal Art and lastly Roman Art from the Louvre, which will be departing rather soon.
Now, I don't know too terribly much about art, and since I was in attendance with an actual Art School Graduate, I figured I'd just keep my mouth shut and just appreciate the beauty and oddities of what was offered for my viewing pleasure. If you're a noob like me, many of the installments offer handy and informative descriptions of the artists, the mediums and sometimes the inspiration that brought the piece to fruition.
I can't imagine myself going back frequently just to wander through the regular exhibits, but for a special event such as the one occuring last Saturday, I'm a permanent definite "IN".
The last time I went was where the Roman exhibit from the Louvre was in town. That exhibit was AMAZING and powerful and wow I am glad that I saw it! There was the option to do the audio tour, but I chose not to. I was more interested in "feeling" the pieces than listening to the speech about them. There was a big head in the beginning of the exhibit that just screamed (not literally) "power" and "strength" to me and I was rather amused to read that it was once part of a statue that stood in front of a palace because it was a way that ruler chose to show his power. Great choice for the entrance to the exhibit!
We had to attend the special exhibit first because of some time thing regarding tickets, so the other exhibits came second.
Now.. I've previously had a good time at this museum. This time (excluding the special exhibit), however, was not one of them. They had some paintings from the 1800's and 1900's as well as some modern art, but it all felt like... nothing. I really wish we could have seen those BEFORE we saw the pieces from ancient Rome! Even then.... I don't know. Those would have been more interesting before seeing the very intense Louvre exhibit, but at the same time... I guess I'd just like it more if this museum focused more on classic/older pieces in their main collection.
But... at the same time.... my perspective of what museums should be is perhaps kind of skewed. I was born near St. Petersburg in Russia so my first memories of visiting museums include the Hermitage and the Summer Palace, and those places are... well, they're nothing like the SAM.
Sometimes you gotta go look at art.
Even when it's 3am.
Heading down 1st Ave from the Pike Place area in the middle of the night, we had a tough choice on our trek to look at sculpted nudes:
On the left you've got the Seattle Art Museum, and on the right you've got an equally important Seattle institution: The Lusty Lady.
Both are culturally informative. Both disallow the viewer to touch the subject matter. Both require you to pay money before you see anything good.
On the inside of the SAM, you can view an exploding car with strips of blinking lights coming out of each phase of its journey from top to bottom, spinning as it goes.
On the inside of the Lusty Lady, strippers in blinking lights spin their tops and bottoms off to Journey, while viewers are exploding and comi... ahem.... You get the picture.
Speaking of pictures, SAM has a pretty decent collection of art. It's a bit small, though at 3am we were thankful, as by the time we had seen everything, we were pretty damned tired. I'm generally pretty tired anyway from looking at art, but usually by the time I'm exiting the sun is going down and it's time for dinner and drinks.
On that note--SAM isn't ALWAYS open at 3am. This was a special occasion, commemorating the end of the Roman Art from the Louvre exhibit. After 2am, they cut the price in half even. I hope they decide to always end their special exhibits with an around the clock viewing time. There's something really cool about walking out of an art museum when the sun is coming up, rather than going down.
Though... you do wind up with an odd mixture of people exiting out onto 1st: folks who were looking at art, and folks who were looking at tarts.
