Mulvane Art Museum Prepares to Close for Renovations

      Topeka, Kan.  - The Mulvane Art Museum at Washburn University will close to the public beginning June 5, 2023, for a major renovation that includes updates to the HVAC system and that will ensure the museum maintains the proper environment for preserving an extensive collection of artwork.

      “Maintaining the correct levels of temperature and humidity is the first line of defense for preserving and caring for any museum collection,” says Connie Gibbons, director of the Mulvane.  “We have invested thousands of dollars in the last five years to perform conservation on artwork; the improvements to the Mulvane will ensure that these works are here for the next 100 years and beyond.”

       The renovations will take approximately seven months and the museum will reopen in spring 2024. The Rita Blitt Gallery will remain open to the public during this time and a number of exciting exhibitions and programs are planned in the Blitt Gallery, across the campus and in the community. 

       With the reopening of the museum in spring 2024, the Mulvane will be officially celebrating 100 years of collecting art, presenting exhibitions and educational programs, and enriching the lives of the campus, community and region.

       Two exhibitions currently on display are “Invitations to Listen” featuring art that Rachel Epp Buller created in response to her daily walks during a residency in Canada.  “Clear Water: Encountering Mokuhanga” drawing from the Mulvane's rich collection of Japanese woodblock prints (“mokuhanga”), which the museum received in 1968 as a gift from Robert Whitcomb.

       The Mulvane Art Museum is open 12 – 7 p.m. Tuesdays; 12 – 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; and 12 – 4 p.m. Saturdays. The ArtLab is temporarily closed to the public. For more information, visit the Mulvane Art Museum website at mulvaneartmuseum.org or call 785-670-1124.

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