Montclair Art Museum Prepares for 100th Anniversary Celebration

On Jan. 15, 1914, the Montclair Art Museum opened its doors for the first time to the public. Now, a century later, the institution plans a host of activities and events to commemorate its milestone. 

According to Director Lora Urbanelli, the year will touch on all aspects of the museum, celebrating its history, anticipating an energized future, and emphasizing the institution's local and regional connections.

“We connect with our audiences in so many ways—through our art school, public programs, exhibitions, and civic engagement—and we want this very special year to reflect all those connections," she said. "Our museum has grown over time, evolving along with its audience. We now have 70,000 visitors annually.”

Among the highlights of the anniversary celebration are:

• Looking Forward: Gifts of Contemporary Art from Patricia A. Bell Collection, which debuts Sept. 22, pays tribute to Bell, a South Orange resident whose gifts of art have helped to develop the museum’s contemporary art collection since the 1990s. 
• Host, a major new outdoor sculpture by the artist Jean Shin—and the first commission in the museum's redesigned outdoor sculpture garden—will be unveiled Sept. .
• A 100 Day Countdown begins Oct. 7, leading up to the museum's Jan. 15 birthday. Local businesses will be involved, offering discounts and coupons at Montclair restaurants and boutiques.
• On Thursday, Oct. 10, the museum welcomes University of San Francisco professor Marjorie Schwarzer, author of "Riches, Rivals and Radicals: 100 Years of the Museum in America," who will deliver the 27th Annual Julia Norton Babson Lecture.
• A Halloween party fundraiser, “Fright Night at the Museum,” will take place at the museum Saturday, Oct. 19 from 7–11:30 p.m. Reserve advance tickets are available now.
• An exhibit displaying Robert Smithson’s New Jersey will open Feb. 22. Passaic-born Smithson was one of the founders of the art form known as earthworks, or land art, and he remains one of the most influential and original artists of his generation and after. 
• April 20–26 will feature a weeklong Centennial Celebration, including an Art in Fashion exhibition and luncheon and a Centennial Ball.