Newark Museum & MOMA Analysis

Shana Wilber

Newark Museum & MOMA Analysis

At each of the museums I was able to take a little something different from each. Where in the Newark Museum I felt a sense of warmth and history from the building, at the MOMA everything felt modern and open.  Each were both beautiful and set up in different was, and they both worked do to the amount of work put into each exhibit. Learning about what type of work goes into displaying art made me appreciate how each museum was able to display in such different buildings.

            At the Newark Museum I lover how much history was in the actual building itself. One of the sections was an actual house from the 1920s. The house is attached to every other building by halls specifically designed for the museum. And all of the back windows opened up to a beautiful courtyard. Out each window you can see all of the original and different architecture of the building. I feel like the museum really wanted to keep the old community a part of the museum, and they did that well.

            On the inside I was impressed with how divers the museum was with their exhibits. There was something for everyone to look at, and it was great that we got to see how some things work behind the scenes. I learned how the curators choose what they need or want in a collection and how they display them. Pat Wessel (out tour guide) also showed us how the are incorporating technology into displays so people can interact with an exhibit.

     As for the MOMA, it is a museum I have been to many times before. As you walk in, a huge lobby that is bright and modern welcomes you. Being in New York, there are always so many people coming to see the great amount of work that is displayed there. The amount of space in the building in incredible and allows the museum to display larger works of art. Each floor has a different department. We started in the architecture floor where Stephen Wheeler brought us behind the scenes to see how exhibits are put together. We learned how rooms with natural light have to be watched carefully because it can tamper with a peace.  I also saw how much thought is put into the lighting. I never thought of lighting when I went into museums before this class, so it was interesting to see how each museum makes the lighting work for different displays.

            On the MOMA trip I feel like I was able to learn more about what the curator actually does. They are always looking, trading, and barrowing peaces for exhibits. I also never realized how many various people are involved in putting exhibits together. There are of course the curators, but also handlers who travel with the art, a construction crew, and the museum even has its on restoration crew.

         With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed each museum. I was able to learned a great amount from each of our lovely “tour guides” and took interest to everything they had to say. It was amazing to be able to go behind the scenes of upcoming exhibits. It opened my eyes to see the amount of work put into displaying each and every peace of art. The time and thought put into the installation is beyond what I had ever thought it was. Going into these museums and seeing everything put together shows how talented all of the people involved are, and how all of there hard work shows.