Located in Oakland, the cultural, academic, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museum of Art was founded by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1895. While most art museums established at the turn of the century focused on collections of old master paintings, Carnegie envisioned a museum collection that would grow by collecting what he called "the old masters of tomorrow," making it the first contemporary art museum in the United States.
Today Carnegie Museum of Art, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh , is internationally recognized for its distinguished collection that, in addition to contemporary art, includes notable works of American and European art from the 16th century to the present.
The Hall of Architecture , opened in 1907, contains the Western Hemisphere’s largest collection of plaster casts of architectural masterpieces, and is one of the three largest cast courts in the world. The adjacent Hall of Sculpture , also from 1907, replicates a room in the Parthenon, the ancient Greek temple dedicated to Athena. The Heinz Architectural Center , opened in 1993, is dedicated to the collection, study, and exhibition of architectural drawings and models.
Carnegie Museum of Art is home to the Carnegie International , the premier North American showcase for the best new art and new artists from around the globe. The 55th installment of the Carnegie International opens May 3, 2008, and continues through January 11, 2009. The exhibition will present the work of a diverse and exciting array of established and emerging artists, all at the forefront of contemporary art.
