Until Sunday, January 6, 2019, the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, IA, will offer free admission for all, thanks to the support of the Hunt and Diane Harris Family Foundation, Arconic, and Genesis Health System. This includes full access to all of the museum’s current exhibitions, including “French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850-1950” from the Brooklyn Museum in New York, NY, as well as the Figge’s permanent collection galleries.
This is an unprecedented move for a museum to offer a period of free admission when an exhibition such as French Moderns is on view. n fact, most museums charge an add-on fee in addition to regular admission, but not the Figge. The goal of the Figge and of the many supporters of the exhibition is to make it accessible to as many Quad Cities residents and visitors as possible. To date, the show has resulted in a significant increase in attendance, with many out-of-town visitors and over 114 groups coming for docent-led tours.
“French Moderns offers the opportunity to see original works by some of the best-known names in art,” said Figge Executive Director Tim Schiffer. “It is a wonderful gift to the community from our sponsors to make it available free of charge over the holidays, [until] the exhibition closes.” The free admission period and French Moderns will end on January 6.
The French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850-1950″ exhibition has allowed the Figge to partner with a variety of community organizations to create unique French-themed opportunities for learning and fun. The community-wide celebration of all things French has created a buzz surrounding these important works.
Director of Development Raelene Pullen said, “For everyone to have access to the 60 works that inspired such community collaboration is exciting….We are so fortunate the Hunt and Diane Harris Family Foundation, Arconic, and Genesis Health System are giving everyone a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see this art in the Quad Cities.”
The presentation of French Moderns has been made possible thanks to the contributions from individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to the Major Exhibitions Endowment. This endowment will fund the Figge’s next major exhibition in 2021 and the others that will come after that every other year in perpetuity.