Friday, January 23, 2009

Sacramento’s Home-Grown Art Museum – The Crocker



The biggest bargain in Sacramento may be the free Sunday outings offered by The Crocker Art Museum, every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The architecture is an amazing experience, both in and outside the Victorian Italianate gallery designed by Seth Babson and completed in 1872. This is only one of the many ornate and gracious staircases throughout the museum.


PORTRAIT OF MARY BLANCHE HUBBARD, 1889, BY MARY CURTIS RICHARDSON

From the luscious landscapes that fill the museum to the portraits, both old school and modern, there is much to look at in the Crocker. One of the best features, in my opinion, is the many varied types of seating available. I really like to simply sit and soak in the surroundings in an art museum.


PORTRAIT OF MY FATHER BY STEPHEN KALTENBACH

The permanent collection at the Crocker includes European, American and Asian art as well as California contemporary pieces. There is also a collection of Meissen porcelain.

Special exhibitions occur and change regularly. When I visited recently, “The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons” was on display and a very popular exhibit.

If Sundays don’t work for you, there is a small admission price Monday-Saturday, of $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for students. The museum is located at Third and O Streets downtown. For more information, log on to www.crockerartmuseum.org.