Eskenazi Museum of Art

OVERVIEW

The idea of the museum begun in 1941
The Fine Arts Building was constructed in 1963
The Indiana University Museum of Art was finished in 1982 (which would later be called the Eskenazi Museum of Art)
The Building was remodeled from 2015 to 2019
It was renamed the Eskenazi Museum of Art because of a large donation made by Sidney and Louis Eskenazi
The museum holds many different exhibits
The Eskenazi Museum of Art wants to create a welcoming environment for all, and introduce people to new ideas.

HISTORY

The Eskenazi Museum of Art as an idea began in 1941 when IU president Herman B. Wells and IU professor Henry Hope imagined an encyclopedia art gallery that could hold works of art from across the globe. However, their dream wasn't fulfilled until 1963 when IU built the Fine Arts Building, which was designed as an art gallery. Soon, their collection was growing, and they had very little space. In 1973, they started to work on the building that they then called the Indiana University Museum of Art, which was completed in 1982. Designed by legendary architect I.M Pei, who also designed and renovated buildings like the Grand Louvre, Bank of China Tower, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the National Gallery East Building, it stands out from the other buildings on the IU campus. Years later in 2015, the museum was remodeled to its current state from 2015-2019. After a large donation made by philanthropists Sidney and Lois Eskenazi, it was renamed the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art.

ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

The Eskenazi Museum of Art is a very important part of the community. It holds a collection of many exhibits. For example, they have the Remembrance and Renewal exhibit, which explores how the Holocaust impacted mid-20th century American art. Another exhibit is the Reinvigorating Tradition exhibit, which traverses Japanese Rimpa art. Besides all the exhibits on the inside, they also have a cafe and even a gift shop that sells art-inspired products. Additionally, the Eskenazi Museum of Art welcomes MCCSC schools and Boys and Girls Club to tour the museum. To make it easier for them to go to the museum, they even have bus grants. The Eskenazi Museum of Art wants to create a welcoming environment for all, and introduce people to new ideas.

We would like to give special thanks to Ben Gardner for kindly responding to our email and providing important information for our writing!

WORKS CITED

“Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art.” Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, artmuseum.indiana.edu/.
“Sidney & Lois Eskenazi - about - Eskenazi Health.” Www.eskenazihealth.edu, 2016, www.eskenazihealth.edu/about/sidney-lois-eskenazi. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.

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