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Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts
Founded in 1891, the Stanford Museum of Art is located inside the Stanford University campus and is now known as the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts.
The Stanford Museum of Art has an illustrious history. It holds the distinction of being established along with the Stanford University by Leland Stanford in memory of his late son, Leland Stanford Jr. The museum was earlier known as the Leland Stanford Junior Museum. Stanford Museum of Art was one of the largest museums in United States during 1894 housing thousands of art collections displayed in 24 galleries of the museum. However, almost two-thirds of the museum and several of its collections were destroyed during the 1906 earthquake. The museum was neglected but was later restored in 1963 by Lorenz Eitner, who was the Chair of the Department of Art in the University. The museum had to be rebuilt again in 1999 as it got damaged during the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. The renovations in 1999 were financed through donations from B. Gerald Cantor and his wife, Iris.
The most important feature inside Stanford Museum of Art is the Rodin Sculpture Garden that was established in 1985 to honor B. Gerald Cantor, who donated more than 187 of Rodin work. The museum has the distinction of having the third largest collection of Rodin’s work. Among these are 20 bronze sculptures designed by Auguste Rodin, who was a famous French artist and sculptor. These include the famous Gates of Hell, Adam, Eve, The Three Shades and The Thinker. Apart from these, the museum also houses a diverse collection of antiques of Mediterranean culture, Egyptian era, Roman period, Greek civilization, Japanese, Chinese and Korean objects, art from northern and central Africa, Asia, and ancient and contemporary art forms of America. The Stanford Museum of Art also houses paintings, drawings, and sculptures of European and American art designed by some of the famous artists of the 19th century.
Numerous exhibitions, programs and events are held at the Stanford Museum of Art for faculty, students and public. For the convenience of visitors, Stanford Museum of Art has gardens, cafes, terrace and bookshops. Admission to the museum is free.
- Address: Lomita Drive and Museum Way,
Stanford, CA 94305-5060
- Telephone: (650) 723-4177
- Hours: Weds - Sun 11 AM - 5 PM, Thurs 11 AM - 8 PM
- Website: museum.stanford.edu
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