museums

Fearing Climate Change, the Louvre’s New Conservation Center Will Hold One-Third of the Museum’s Entire Art Collection

By Alice G. Collins 3 months ago

In 1910, there was the Great Flood of Paris: Excess rainwater raised water levels eightfold. Photos from that time show locals riding down streets in makeshift boats. With global warming, there is a 40% increase in the chance of a similar flood happening nowadays. So if that does happen, in a city chock-full with culture, what will happen to the art?

The Musée du Louvre in Paris is home to one of the most valuable art collections in the world, including famed artworks like the Mona Lisa and The Winged Victory of Samothrace. With it comes a great risk of water damage. The museum has created a new venue to store its valuable art—the Louvre Conservation Center in Liévin, in the north of France.

This $120 million project, which opened in October, was designed by British architectural firm Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Over the past few months,

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Feedback: White privilege in art museums runs deep

By Jaime E. Love 6 months ago

Regarding “2020 Compels Art Museums to Answer: Are We Racist?” by Carolina A. Miranda [Oct. 25]: Sadly, the white privilege that is inherent in art museums runs deep. A few years ago, I required students in my college art class to visit a major local museum.

One student, a young Latinx woman, approached me after class with a question: “Am I allowed to go there?”

I was stunned. After reassuring her that she would be welcome, I realized that question was a very real demonstration that we as a society have failed.

Clearly, the world of art and culture that I value is not equally inviting to all.

Dennis Reed
Glendale

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The community most underserved by art museums in Southern California is Salvadoran Americans. Though they number about 400,000 in the Los Angeles area, and have a complex and sophisticated art culture, local art museums appear to

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Why will none of London’s museums or art galleries reopen on July 4?

By Jaime E. Love 10 months ago
The British Museum - Getty
The British Museum – Getty

Not one of London’s major museums and galleries will reopen on July 4, despite being given the green light to do so from the Government.

The latest easing of lockdown measures means that from this Saturday, cultural institutions, along with pubs, restaurants and hotels, will be permitted to welcome visitors, provided that they adopt a raft of safety and social distancing measures. 

While many hospitality businesses have been clamouring to reopen and quickly announced their plans after the Prime Minister’s statement, the capital’s cultural attractions have been much more reticent.

After the announcement, the Directors of the Tate, Science Museum Group, Natural History Museum, National Gallery, British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum issued a joint statement, which offered no concrete plans:

It stated: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement to allow the safe reopening of our galleries to the public this summer. We will

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