Museum Comparison Art Museums the Metropolitan Museum Term Paper

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Museum Comparison

Art museums

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is one of the most famous art museums in the world. The idea for a large museum located in the city of New York was first formulated in 1866 when the statesman John Jay resolved to create a place to house America's great art collections in a central urban area. By the 20th century, the Museum achieved Jay's goal of becoming one of the world's greatest collections of art. Today, the Metropolitan Museum is governed by a private corporation of fellows and donors. Some of its most famous early acquisitions included a work by the Impressionist Renoir and in 1910 and it was the first museum to showcase a work by the Post-Impressionist Henri Matisse. Today, the Museum is famous for its Impressionist galleries as well as its Greek and Roman art and Egyptology wings.[footnoteRef:1] [1: "Main Building," Metropolitan Museum of Art, available http://www.metmuseum.org/en/about-the-museum/history-of-the-museum/main-building [10 Feb 2013]]

In service to the Museum's mission to bring art to the New York public in a democratic fashion, "encouraging and developing the study of the fine arts, and the application of arts to manufacture and practical life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and, to that end, of furnishing popular instruction," according to its Mission Statement, the Museum offers many programs specifically for children as well as strives to attract temporary exhibitions from all around the world to the Museum.[footnoteRef:2] The Museum is funded by a combination of public and private funding, including donations from philanthropists and everyday contributors. [footnoteRef:3] Income from its 'pay as you go' program comprises 15% of its operating budget. [footnoteRef:4]Like many artistic institutions in the wake of the recent economic downturn, it has been forced to make radical cutbacks in the services it offers and number of people it employs. For example, in 2008, the Met's $310 million budget was over $3 million short, due to a drop in its $2.9 billion endowment to $2.1 billion, and because of New York's financial struggles the funding from the city was slashed by $1.7 million.

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[footnoteRef:5] [2: "Museum Mission Statement," Metropolitan Museum of Art, available http://www.metmuseum.org/en/about-the-museum/mission-statement [10 Feb 2013]] [3: Julie Zeveloff, "David Koch Is Funding the Metropolitan Museum of Art's $60 Million Facelift." Business Insider, 10 Feb 2012. http://www.businessinsider.com/david-koch-met-museum-renovation-renderings-2012-2 [10 Feb 2013]] [4: Lee Rosenbaum, "Museum funding conundrum," Culture Grrl, 24 Oct 1012, available: http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/2012/10/mets_tom_campbell_leads_afas_a.html [13 Feb 2013]] [5: Miriam S. Souccar, "More cuts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art "Crain's, 2009, available: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20090312/FREE/903129968 [10 Feb 2013]]

In contrast, the Tate Museum in London, although almost as old as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has more of a 'boutique' reputation. It was intended to function as a subsidiary to the larger National Gallery of London in 1889 by Henry Tate, a wealthy industrialist and art collector. He wished to showcase his art collection to the nation of Britain and because there was no room at the National Gallery, the Tate was created with the specific intention focusing on the work of British artists and bringing them to the public eye.[footnoteRef:6] (The Met has a more general aim to showcase all kinds of art). [6: "History of the Tate," Tate Museum, available: http://www.tate.org.uk/about/who-we-are/history-of-tate [10 Feb 2013]]

According to British law, the Tate is a charity, administered by a board of trustees, and its mission is to increase public "understanding and enjoyment of art, raising funds through sponsorship, donations and legacies to support a wide range of educational and artistic programs across the UK." [footnoteRef:7] To further encourage contributions to the Tate and other museums, the British government passed the Museums and Galleries Act 1992 which classifies the Tate as an exempt charity, not a registered charity so neither Inheritance Tax nor Capital Gains Tax are charged on gifts to Tate.[footnoteRef:8] [7: "Tate's charitable status," Tate Museum, available: http://www.tate.org.uk/about/who-we-are/charitable-status [1- Feb 2013]] [8: "Tate's charitable status," Tate Museum, available: http://www.tate.org.uk/about/who-we-are/charitable-status [1- Feb 2013]]

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