Brooklyn Museum of Art

Brooklyn Museum of Art, museum in the borough of Brooklyn, N.Y. Its predecessors were the Brooklyn Apprentices' Library (1823), the Brooklyn Institute (1843), and the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences (1890). Opened in 1897, the museum is located in a Beaux-Arts building designed by McKim, Mead, and White that has been substantially added to over the ensuing years, including a sweeping glass-roofed entrance pavilion (2004). The museum is particularly famous for its large collection of ancient Egyptian art and its Egyptological library. It also has a fine collection of American decorative arts, with 27 completely furnished period rooms. Among the other important features are the collections of Greek and Roman, Middle Eastern, Asian, and African art; American and European costumes; a comprehensive collection of American painting and sculpture; and a major print collection. The museum also presents a variety of special exhibitions and has a large art library and auditorium.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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