# Are there art museums with art in them anymore? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 24, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462 "2009-08-24T04:14:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/21 "2009-08-24T15:17:18Z")
[High Museum of Art - Atlanta](http://www.high.org/) Birmingham Museum of Art ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/22 "2009-08-24T16:03:59Z")
This is not a post. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/23 "2009-08-24T16:56:37Z")
The[Detroit Institute of Arts](http://www.dia.org/) is quite nice. Very underrated. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/24 "2009-08-24T17:17:56Z")
Not to start an argument about modern art, but one thing about it is that there is really great modern art and there is really crappy art. There hasn’t been enough time to filter out all the crappy art, like the classical work. The beauty is you get to decide what is good and what is bad. But a lot of people see a piece in a museum, assume it must be good because it’s in a museum, and then write off all modern art. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bith_Shuffle)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/25 "2009-08-24T17:26:13Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Was the mouse still alive, or stuffed?? There is no way that a dead mouse could be stuffed to this size, and its body would never be so symmetrical and smooth. It was about as tall as myself. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/26 "2009-08-24T17:35:14Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > Go find a docent. Ask that docent “why is this of interest?” I don’t always agree with the answer but I almost always learn something interesting about why others do. That will work. As long as you find a decent docent. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/27 "2009-08-24T17:44:22Z")
But if you find a dissenting docent, the answer won’t be decisive. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/28 "2009-08-24T17:47:33Z")
If you discover a distant docent, expect a discordant discourse. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/29 "2009-08-24T17:53:16Z")
If the words, ‘Modern Art’, are anywhere in their description then the answer is no. Come to New York go to the MoMA or The Whitney and you’ve got a lot of form without meaning and meaning without form, but never the two shall meet. It sounds like the museum in Seattle was actually closer to having real art in it than most. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/30 "2009-08-24T18:51:47Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Art Institute of Chicago. My favorite museum. Love the Art Institute, but the new Modern Wing left me cold. I’m sure the artist (whose name escapes me) was moved by what he created, bit I failed to connect. I like a lot of (even “most”) modern art, but much of this guy’s work exhibited little “skill”; it was more of an emotional outburst that was uncontrolled and unimpressive. I did what I could to understand the technical approach (balance, etc.) but it didn’t hold my attention. I guess if you call it “art”, then it’s art. However, I’ve seen more interesting accidents in my day. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/31 "2009-08-24T19:20:33Z")
Seattle resident–and thirding the general crapitude of the SAM. IMO, the museum is only worth going to if they are hosting a particular traveling exhibit that interests you. Otherwise, they have a very small classical/renaissance art exhibit, almost no sculpture to speak of, and a lot of space dedicated to native american art which feels very misplaced and is better off in one of the other local historical or cultural museums. And I’m also of the opinion that modern art has, in general, destroyed the art world and appeal of many museums. I’ll take a bronze statue of Hermes any day over some hacked together “found art” modern exhibit. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/32 "2009-08-24T19:45:07Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Darn, it sounds like most Texas cities have it better than Seattle. We’re definitely newer than NYC & Chicago–but we’ve benefited from quite a few art-loving rich Texans in the last century. > > The exquisite [Menil](http://www.menil.org/collection/modern.php) begins with Cro-Magnon carvings & takes a highly individual route to the modern age. (Or is it Post-Modern now? Or maybe Post-Post-Modern?) Heavy on the [Surrealists](http://www.menil.org/collection/dadasurrealism2.php)… > > Other Texas cities are similarly blessed. Houston specifically, and Texas in general, have such a distorted reputation nationally. We have such incredible cultural offerings, but people think of us as secessionist, redneck hicks. The Menil and the HMFA are world class! And the traveling exhibits that all of our museums host are incredible. (Note: This was a little off topic, so I apologize. It’s just that I recently helped work up a few reports for a friend’s dad running for mayor, and the experience left even me amazed at just how awesome my city is! Of course, it is still in a humid swamp, but that’s the fault God and the Allen Brothers.) > [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Not to start an argument about modern art, but one thing about it is that there is really great modern art and there is really crappy art. There hasn’t been enough time to filter out all the crappy art, like the classical work. The beauty is you get to decide what is good and what is bad. But a lot of people see a piece in a museum, assume it must be good because it’s in a museum, and then write off all modern art. This is a fantastic point. I came into the thread ready to go with the “modern art sucks” line of thought, but you have won the day with this comment. Saying modern art sucks without the filter of time is as unfair as saying that movies from the 1970’s were better than movies released in 2009. If you look at the films of 1975 as compared to 2004, both years produced a few gems, and many more clunkers. But you take a whole decade, you can finds dozens of great films. The same is true here, I suppose. Thanks for the clarity. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/33 "2009-08-24T20:21:28Z")
“Faeces”? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/34 "2009-08-24T20:38:27Z")
I’ll second the recommendation for the Cleveland museum. In addition to the more traditional art that **Sigmagirl** linked to, there are also some modern pieces in there that are genuinely good art. One, for instance, is this black wrought-iron wall hanging, about four feet square, that I grew up convinced that it ate children. I can’t say I like it, but I can’t deny that it’s extremely effective at conveying emotion. On the other end of the scale, my favorite piece in the museum is a colorful, busy diorama of a New York street. It’s just so much fun. > [@](#): > > …the modern age. (Or is it Post-Modern now? Or maybe Post-Post-Modern?) By definition, it is the modern age right now, and the post-modern age hasn’t happened yet. At least, so I insist. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/35 "2009-08-24T20:42:20Z")
I think the people that appreciate modern art are more consistent customers, so modern art brings in money. Most people will only pay to go see a van Gogh exhibit once or twice, but when every time you go to the museum it could be anything from carefully arranged rocks to a life size chocolate Jesus every exhibit is worth a few bucks. There is a lot more risk that you wont like what you see, but the ones you like affect me in a way that no van Gogh ever could. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/36 "2009-08-24T20:48:38Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > And I have to say that your giant mouse painting and ceramic toad sound cool. If you’re trying to paint them as awful, you failed. I don’t know about the toad but the mouse sounded really cool to me, too. If anyone has a picture of it online somewhere I’d love to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/37 "2009-08-24T20:51:16Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > If the words, ‘Modern Art’, are anywhere in their description then the answer is no. Come to New York go to the MoMA or The Whitney and you’ve got a lot of form without meaning and meaning without form, but never the two shall meet. MoMA? You been the one that owns and displays [The Persistence of Memory](http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=79018), [Starry Night](http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=79802) and a triptych of [The Water Lillies](http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=80220)? Picasso? Magritte? Cezanne? And some sculpture by that charlatan Rodin? _That_ MoMA!? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/38 "2009-08-24T22:57:45Z")
> [@astro](#): > > . > > . Heh heh, I love that polar bear. I just wonder what he’ll do once that blizzard ends. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/39 "2009-08-24T23:06:44Z")
The last time I visited SAM was when they had an absolutely stunning exhibition of Impressionists (must have been 2000 or thereabouts). I’ve had a very favorable impression of the place ever since. A pity it has gone downhill (if it has). ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462/40 "2009-08-24T23:10:05Z")
> [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](#): > > I can see how your response questions the Western Imperialist Heteronormative dogma of “statements” and allows us to expand our modes of communication to include non-“statements” as well. > > Truly, a brilliant insight. Post of the year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-art-museums-with-art-in-them-anymore/507462.md?page=3)