MINNEAPOLIS — The Weisman Art Museum is hard to ignore. From its unusual shape and exterior materials to the way the building reflects the sun on a bright day, the Weisman catches a person's eye like few structures do.
Even though it's shut down for maintenance this summer, and you can't go inside and wander the exhibits, our KARE in the Air summer drone series reminds us that the Weisman is itself a piece of art.
Designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, one side is brick to blend in with the other historic buildings on the University of Minnesota campus. The other side, with rippling waves of stainless steel, reflects and blends in with the Mississippi River.
The museum is named for entrepreneur and philanthropist Frederick R. Weisman, who provided a pivotal $3 million gift that helped it take shape. The Weisman originally opened in November of 1993, with an addition that was also designed by Geary dedicated and opened in October of 2011.
More than 25,000 works make up the Weisman's permanent collection, which features American art from the first half of the 20th century, including works by Georgia O'Keeffe, Marsden Hartley, Milton Avery, Alfred Maurer and a collection of contemporary art. The museum also boasts one of the world's largest collections of traditional Korean furniture.
The museum is set to reopen in the fall, but in the meantime you can catch its outdoor art installation, featuring brightly colored posters meant to call attention to systemic racism.