TIMELINE
1908
The Birmingham Art Club is formed, stimulating interest in art and a permanent art museum in the young city.
1927
New Birmingham Public Library provides a suitable gallery for the display of art.
1933
Library hosts exhibition of Italian Renaissance paintings from the Samuel H. Kress Collection. After the exhibition, two paintings are placed on long-term loan to the Library.
1935
The Art Club receives a bequest of $19,000 to be held in trust and eventually used for the creation of a city art museum.
1948
Birmingham Age-Herald endorses city museum concept. Art Club pursues the project with support of city government.
1950
City government passes ordinance that creates the Museum Board of the City of Birmingham.
1951
The Birmingham Museum of Art is officially opened in City Hall. Collection begins to grow with gifts of Chinese ceramics, textiles, and Japanese prints, Old Master prints, costumes, glass, and oil paintings. Established with the mission to be a comprehensive Museum, its aim is to provide an educational experience for the community.
1952
The Museum receives long-term loan of 29 Italian Renaissance paintings from The Samuel H. Kress Foundation. This collection remains one of the most popular today (see 1961) and becomes the nucleus of the Museum’s collection.
1954
Funds bequeathed by Mrs. Helen Jacob Wells to be used for construction of a permanent museum building.
1955
Land acquired as future site of the Birmingham Museum of Art.
1956
Museum begins purchasing art for the permanent collection including Rasmussen Collection of Northwest Coast and Plains Indian art.
1958
Ground is broken for the Oscar Wells Memorial Building to house permanent collection.
1959
New permanent art museum building designed by Warren, Knight and Davis opens to the public (May 3, 1959). Red Mountain Garden Club opens museum garden designed by William Kessler. Museum receives trusteeship of Renaissance furniture and decorative arts from The Samuel H. Kress Foundation.
1961
Kress collection of Italian Renaissance paintings officially deeded to the Museum. Trusteeship of the 37 works included those on loan since 1952.
1962
Lamprecht Collection of German decorative cast iron placed on long-term loan to Museum by the American Cast Iron Pipe Company. Collection deeded to the Museum in 1987. This is the largest collection of its kind in the world.
1963
Dr. and Mrs. Harold E. Simon donate first of many objects to form the Art of the American West Collection, which later included the ever popular Remington bronzes and 19th-century American paintings.
1964
The Museum acquires collection of Peruvian gold for growing pre-Columbian collection. The Museum Art Education Council (MAEC) is incorporated and begins to offer art history slide programs in the schools, and art classes and workshops at the Museum. The number of children served by what is now the BMA Education Department has, since 1964, grown to 1.5 million.
1965
Addition of galleries on the second floor west wing completed and opened.
1966
Museum art library opens. In 1993 named the Clarence Bloodworth Hanson Library, in memory of Museum Trustee, Mr. Hanson. Through a government grant Title III, a coordinated project with the Birmingham Public Schools and the Museum Education Council creates Artmobile Program to take artifacts and art lessons to the public schools. The program is now in its 34th year.
1967
New east wing completed and opened.
1968
Bond issue for the acquisition of additional Museum property approved by voters raising $400,000.
1969
Official docent (tour guide) program launched. Tours of the collections and exhibitions have been available since 1951. Land acquired for future building additions.
1970s
Museum builds collection of European, American and contemporary paintings through gifts and purchases. The Museum continues to supplement these collections with important examples, which stress the continuity of world art history.
1973
R. Hugh Daniel Director endowment established.
1972-74
Three-story addition added to the east wing, which includes auditorium, increased storage, exhibition and administrative space.
1975
Collecting of Asian art begins in earnest. The Asian Collection has become the largest and most comprehensive in the Southeast. Asian Art Society is established.
1978
Early donations of Wedgwood pottery and other English ceramics given by Dwight and Lucille Beeson form the nucleus of the still-growing Beeson Wedgwood Collection, the finest collection of Wedgwood in the United States.
1979
New east wing featuring a library, offices, conservation lab, loading dock, and additional entrance/lobby is completed.
1980
Opening of the new wing with eight special exhibitions. At the time, this addition of 28,000 sq. ft. made the Birmingham Museum of Art the largest municipal museum in the Southeast (116,000 sq. ft.). Museum forms endowment fund for acquisitions. Fashion Group International, Birmingham, establishes costume collection.
1983
Museum receives accreditation from the American Association of Museums.
1984
Museum begins to collect African art. This growing collection, from 50 to 1200 objects, has become one of the finest in the Southeast.
1985
Armand Hammer Collection exhibition attracts over 160,000 visitors to the Museum. Exhibitions of this scope and quality continue at the Museum. Coleman Cooper donates large collection of Oriental, Native American and South American rugs and textiles to the Museum.
1986
Long Range Planning Committee formed, resulting in decision to expand facility. Edward Larrabee Barnes selected as architect for building expansion. Museum begins to collect large-scale outdoor sculpture for eventual placement in the proposed sculpture garden.
1989
City bond issue approved by voters; $5 million designated for Museum expansion project.
1991
Ground broken for a new expanded Birmingham Museum of Art begins. Two new wings totaling 50,000 sq. ft. and a multi-level sculpture garden are a part of the new plan. Extensive collection of important 18th century French paintings and decorative arts is bequeathed by Eugenia Woodward Hitt. The Hitt Collection is one of the finest collections of French decorative arts in the United States.
1992
Birmingham Museum of Art closes its galleries to the public as the $21 million expansion/renovation to the existing Museum building begins in earnest. Museum acquires the Elizabeth Chellis rare-book library of over one thousand volumes pertaining to 18th-century life, Wedgwood, and English ceramics. Select acquisitions continue during period of construction.
1993
Newly renovated and expanded Birmingham Museum of Art, designed by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes, opens to the public, comprising a total of 180,000 square feet. New facility includes the multi-level Charles W. Ireland Sculpture Garden, designed by sculptor Elyn Zimmerman in close collaboration with Barnes. Site-specific installations by Zimmerman and Valerie Jaudon installed, as well as sculpture by Botero, Lipchitz, Rodin, and Hepworth
1995
Made In Alabama opens at the Museum prior to a statewide tour. Endowment for operations established. Over 300 Alabama-made quilts from the collection of Helen and Robert Cargo are given to the Museum. The collection was included in the "Top 100 Treasures" by Art & Antiques Magazine in March 1997.
1996
The First Emperor exhibition, organized by the Museum, attracts 125,000 visitors to the Museum during the Summer Olympics. Birmingham Persian Wall by Dale Chihuly, America's premier glass artist, installed in Eighth Avenue lobby.
2000
Long range planning committee established for a new century. Collection of William Hansell and Susan Mabry Hulsey bequeathed to Museum. Matisse from The Baltimore Museum of Art opens at the Museum on July 16, heralding the Museum's 50th Anniversary.
