Art History Club Visits NYC Museums

On Saturday, May 9, ten Chester College students woke themselves up in order to pile into a van by eight, and arrive at the Brooklyn Museum by two. They are members of the college's Art History Club, which was created to allow students to attend galleries and museums normally out of their reach due to distance and/or cost. It is one of the only (if not the only) clubs of its kind.

Professor Nanette Thrush, the club's advisor, arranged for this most recent trip to New York City, which included stops at the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday and the Guggenheim on Sunday. At the Brooklyn Museum, students had the opportunity to view exhibits that featured works from Africa, Asia, Europe, Ancient Egypt, decorative arts, and the famous “Dinner Party” by Judy Chicago. Later, the club relocated to the 63rd Street YMCA, right across the street from the West side of Central Park, to stay for the night. Students chose to spend their evening exploring places like Times Square, Greenwich Village and Central Park, and shopping in stores such as FAO Schwartz and Macy's.

The Guggenheim, right off of Central Park's East side, is a contemporary art museum which features many more recent works than the Brooklyn Museum. Although not all of the galleries were open to the public on Sunday, club members were still able to see blueprints of Frank Lloyd Wright's work (who, by the way, is the museum's architect), paintings by artists such as Picasso and Manet, and other interesting works by newer artists.

Would you like to go to art museums for free? Join Art History Club by contacting Nanette Thrush or Rachel Lieberman.

--Rachel Lieberman