The Museum of Wisconsin Art (formerly the West Bend Art Museum) is a museum that collects and exhibits contemporary and historical art from the state of Wisconsin. Its collections include rotating historical and contemporary exhibitions and educational programs. The museum's One Gallery features solo shows of contemporary Wisconsin artists and arts organizations several times each year.Museum of Wisconsin Art . Retrieved 2009-06-27.
History Founded by the Pick family of West Bend, Wisconsin in 1961 to collect the works of Milwaukee-born artist Carl von Marr (1858-1936),Lawrence Sussman. "West Bend Art Museum 'an asset to the public'", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2006. Retrieved 2009-06-27. the museum currently holds the most comprehensive collection of his work anywhere.
In 1988, it broadened its focus to become a regional museum, rolling out a collection of Wisconsin artists spanning the years from 1820 to 1950. In 1998, its Early Wisconsin Art Collection was unveiled on the state’s sesquicentennial, reflecting its new mission to collect, conserve, document, and exhibit Wisconsin art through the ages. In January 2007, along with the name change, it began including both contemporary Wisconsin art, and work prior to 1820.David Schuyler, "Art Museum in West Bend to double size, raise millions", Milwaukee Business Journal, October 8, 2006. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
The museum opened a new building on the banks of the Milwaukee River in West Bend in April, 2012.
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