Riverside Art Museum
Encyclopedia
Riverside Art Museum is an art museum in the historic Mission Inn
District of Riverside, California
. A non-profit organization
, its mission is to "to serve the varied communities of the Inland Empire
by providing visual art of the finest quality and related educational and interpretive programs."
The building originally served the Young Women's Christian Association
(YWCA), and it was placed on the Natitional Register of Historic Places on March 13, 2009.
to design the building over the objections of Frank Miller
of the Mission Inn
, who wanted an architect who would design the building in the Mission Revival Style architecture
. Morgan used the Mediterranean Revival and Classical Revival
styles in composing the design.
In 1960, the Riverside Art Center began fundraising to purchase the YWCA building, which had recently come onto the market. On July 5, 1967, the YWCA officially sold the building to the Riverside Arts Center for $250,000.
In 1982, the building was designated a Registered Historic Place
and a city historic landmark.
In 1992, a three-phase renovation of the building was undertaken with the financial assistance of the City of Riverside.
and Classical architecture
in an "innovative tri-block design". The first floor originally housed a swimming pool, an open-air atrium
, and a gym
nasium. The second floor featured bedrooms, offices, and meeting rooms with a small stage. On the roof was a badminton
court. A garden, and an outdoor fireplace
were added in the late 1930s as a memorial to Ruth Muir, former Secretary (Executive Director), after she was brutally assaulted and murdered at the age of 48, while vacationing in La Jolla.
Today, the building features two large galleries downstairs and two small galleries upstairs. The atrium has been covered with a glass ceiling, and an upstairs restroom has been converted into a library.
s, of "art that addresses social issues, diverse themes and a range of media techniques".
Mission Inn
The Mission Inn, now known as The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, is a historic landmark hotel in downtown Riverside, California. Although a composite of many architectural styles, it is generally considered the largest Mission Revival Style building in the United States.-History:The property began as a...
District of Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
. A non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, its mission is to "to serve the varied communities of the Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
by providing visual art of the finest quality and related educational and interpretive programs."
The building originally served the Young Women's Christian Association
Young Women's Christian Association
Young Women's Christian Association or YWCA or YWCA Building or Old YWCA Building or variations may refer to:*World YWCA, the organization formerly known as Young Women's Christian Associationor it may refer to:...
(YWCA), and it was placed on the Natitional Register of Historic Places on March 13, 2009.
History
In 1929, the Riverside YWCA selected the corner of 7th (now Mission Inn Avenue) and Lime Streets as the site for its new building. The association's directors hired architect Julia MorganJulia Morgan
Julia Morgan was an American architect. The architect of over 700 buildings in California, she is best known for her work on Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California...
to design the building over the objections of Frank Miller
Frank Augustus Miller
Frank Augustus Miller was the owner and chief developer of the Mission Inn in Riverside, California, United States. He was also a civic leader and one of Riverside's strongest promoters....
of the Mission Inn
Mission Inn
The Mission Inn, now known as The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, is a historic landmark hotel in downtown Riverside, California. Although a composite of many architectural styles, it is generally considered the largest Mission Revival Style building in the United States.-History:The property began as a...
, who wanted an architect who would design the building in the Mission Revival Style architecture
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
. Morgan used the Mediterranean Revival and Classical Revival
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
styles in composing the design.
In 1960, the Riverside Art Center began fundraising to purchase the YWCA building, which had recently come onto the market. On July 5, 1967, the YWCA officially sold the building to the Riverside Arts Center for $250,000.
In 1982, the building was designated a Registered Historic Place
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...
and a city historic landmark.
In 1992, a three-phase renovation of the building was undertaken with the financial assistance of the City of Riverside.
Architecture
The building combines elements of MediterraneanMediterranean Revival Style architecture
The Mediterranean Revival was an eclectic design style that was first introduced in the United States about the end of the nineteenth century, and became popular during the 1920s and 1930s...
and Classical architecture
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
in an "innovative tri-block design". The first floor originally housed a swimming pool, an open-air atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
, and a gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium. The second floor featured bedrooms, offices, and meeting rooms with a small stage. On the roof was a badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
court. A garden, and an outdoor fireplace
Outdoor fireplace
An outdoor fireplace is a place for building fires outside of the home. Similar in construction to an indoor fireplace, an outdoor fireplace is usually added to a stone, brick, or concrete patio. It often consists of a firebox and a chimney. As with indoor fireplaces, an outdoor fireplace...
were added in the late 1930s as a memorial to Ruth Muir, former Secretary (Executive Director), after she was brutally assaulted and murdered at the age of 48, while vacationing in La Jolla.
Today, the building features two large galleries downstairs and two small galleries upstairs. The atrium has been covered with a glass ceiling, and an upstairs restroom has been converted into a library.
Exhibitions
The Riverside Art Museum mounts an average of 20 exhibitions per year, some of which are travelling exhibitionTravelling exhibition
A travelling exhibition, also referred to as a "travelling exhibit" or a "touring exhibition", is a type of exhibition that is available for circulation to one or more venues in addition to the premises of the organiser....
s, of "art that addresses social issues, diverse themes and a range of media techniques".