Kimbell Art Museum Asks Visitors to Share Memories as It Marks 50 Years

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth is asking the public to look back. To mark its 50th anniversary, the museum is inviting visitors, both longtime and recent, to share memories they have made there since it opened to the public in 1972.

The stories will inform Kimbell Stories, a limited documentary web series. According to the museum, the project will examine the extraordinary power of art and design, told through the eyes of the people who have walked its galleries.

Museum Director Eric M. Lee described the effort in a news release. "For nearly half a century, the Kimbell has welcomed visitors from Fort Worth and around the world to experience incredible art in an unparalleled setting," he said. "During this landmark anniversary, we want to acknowledge and celebrate the very people who have shaped the Kimbell into the enduring place of inspiration that it is today."

The museum noted that over five decades its distinctive architecture, permanent collection and influential special exhibitions have formed the backdrop for many personal milestones, from first dates and engagements to memorable encounters with particular works of art. It said the Kimbell remains a place where meaningful experiences can happen.

Kimbell Stories is meant to present a wide range of memories and to celebrate what the museum calls the transcendent power of art.

Submissions are being accepted through May 31 at kimbellart.org/50. Everyone who submits a story will be entered for a chance to win a year-long family membership to the museum. The winner will be announced Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Kimbell's 50th Anniversary Family Festival & Celebration.

The Kimbell is owned and operated by the Kimbell Art Foundation and is internationally known for both its collections and its buildings. Its 1972 building, designed by American architect Louis I. Kahn, is widely regarded as one of the outstanding architectural achievements of the modern era.

A second building, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, opened in 2013. It houses special exhibitions and dedicated classrooms, as well as a 289-seat auditorium.

Information for this article was provided by the Kimbell Art Museum. More details about the museum are available at kimbellart.org.