We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culture

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is the American Folk Art Museum?

By Lee Johnson
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 5,401
References
Share

The American Folk Art Museum is a museum dedicated to displaying American folk art. The museum is in New York City, New York, in Lincoln Square. Many different types of art are on display at the American Folk Art Museum, including paintings, sculptures, and even quilts, all created by people with no formal training in art. Visitors to the museum are allowed to look around it alone for free, or can choose to pay for a guided tour conducted by a professional museum guide. The museum was founded by Adele Earnest, Arthur Bullowa, Joseph Martinson, Marian Johnson, Herbert Hemphill, Jr., and Cordelia Hamilton.

Folk art is basically any form of art created by somebody who is not a professional artist. In the way that folk music is music written by the people, folk art is art created by the people. The art displayed at the American Folk Art Museum is all folk art, and aims to present a new view of American cultural history by displaying art created by amateurs throughout history. The people who created these paintings often depicted important events in American history, and the museum therefore provides a new insight into some of America’s historical moments.

Different exhibitions are shown at different times in the American Folk Art Museum. Each different exhibit showcases a different side of American folk art. For example, the museum will have an exhibit focusing on folk art done by women, or specific exhibitions of one person’s artwork. These exhibitions can feature art from anytime in American history. The museum displays information of current and past exhibits on its website.

Art on display at the American Folk Art Museum isn’t limited to paintings. Any type of artistic creation is worthy of display, including furniture, sculptures, quilts, wooden carvings, and more. This provides a great deal of variety at the museum, and the artists’ lack of formal training facilitates pure artistic expression. Instead of arranging the items according to the type of art, it is done by time periods. Visitors to the museum get to see what the art was like as a whole during a certain period.

Founders of the American Folk Art Museum, Adele Earnest, Arthur Bullowa, Joseph Martinson, Marian Johnson, Herbert Hemphill, Jr., and Cordelia Hamilton, believed in folk art and its part in America’s cultural history. This led the foundation of the museum in 1961, and they spent the next two years acquiring pieces to display in it. The American Folk Art Museum was first opened to the public in 1963.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-the-american-folk-art-museum.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.