Elisabet Ney Museum
Encyclopedia
The Elisabet Ney Museum is a museum
located in Austin, Texas
, United States
. The museum is housed in the former studio of sculptor Elisabet Ney
and is dedicated to showcasing her life and works. There is a permanent collection of Ney's portrait busts and personal memorabilia on display.
Formosa, as Ney called the studio, was completed in 1893 and enlarged in 1902. It was the earliest art studio built in Texas
. After Ney died in 1907, Ella and Joseph B. Dibrell purchased the building to preserve it as an art center in memory of Ney. The City of Austin assumed ownership of the museum in 1941 and it is managed through the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. In addition to being a local and state historic landmark, the museum was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on November 29, 1972.
From July 1980 to November 1982, the museum was closed for restoration and the installation of a climate-control system. The museum is currently undergoing another major renovation funded through a grant from the Save America's Treasures
project and a 2006 voter-approved bond.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
located in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The museum is housed in the former studio of sculptor Elisabet Ney
Elisabet Ney
Franzisca Bernadina Wilhelmina Elisabeth Ney was a celebrated German-born sculptor who spent the first half of her life and career in Europe, producing sculpted works of famous leaders such as Otto von Bismarck, Giuseppe Garibaldi and King George V of Hanover...
and is dedicated to showcasing her life and works. There is a permanent collection of Ney's portrait busts and personal memorabilia on display.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. After Ney died in 1907, Ella and Joseph B. Dibrell purchased the building to preserve it as an art center in memory of Ney. The City of Austin assumed ownership of the museum in 1941 and it is managed through the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. In addition to being a local and state historic landmark, the museum was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on November 29, 1972.
From July 1980 to November 1982, the museum was closed for restoration and the installation of a climate-control system. The museum is currently undergoing another major renovation funded through a grant from the Save America's Treasures
Save America's Treasures
Save America's Treasures is a United States Federal initiative to preserve and protect American historic buildings, arts, and published works. It is a public-private partnership between the U.S. National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation...
project and a 2006 voter-approved bond.