Midtown is a collection of neighborhoods in Memphis, Tennessee , to the east of Downtown .
92-712: Overton Park is a large, 342-acre (138 ha) public park in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee . The park grounds contain the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art , Memphis Zoo , a 9-hole golf course, the Memphis College of Art , Rainbow Lake, Veterans Plaza, the Greensward, and other features. The Old Forest Arboretum of Overton Park , one of the few remaining old growth forests in Tennessee ,
184-470: A sword , could be hired from shops outside. The treasuries of cathedrals and large churches, or parts of them, were often set out for public display and veneration. Many of the grander English country houses could be toured by the respectable for a tip to the housekeeper, during the long periods when the family were not in residence. Special arrangements were made to allow the public to see many royal or private collections placed in galleries, as with most of
276-537: A bequest. The Kunstmuseum Basel , through its lineage which extends back to the Amerbach Cabinet , which included a collection of works by Hans Holbein the Younger and purchased by the city of Basel in 1661, is considered to be the first museum of art open to the public in the world. In the second half of the 18th century, many private collections of art were opened to the public, and during and after
368-449: A collaboration of museums and galleries that are more interested with the categorization of art. They are interested in the potential use of folksonomy within museums and the requirements for post-processing of terms that have been gathered, both to test their utility and to deploy them in useful ways. The steve.museum is one example of a site that is experimenting with this collaborative philosophy. The participating institutions include
460-433: A major factor in social mobility (for example, getting a higher-paid, higher-status job). The argument states that certain art museums are aimed at perpetuating aristocratic and upper class ideals of taste and excludes segments of society without the social opportunities to develop such interest. The fine arts thus perpetuate social inequality by creating divisions between different social groups. This argument also ties in with
552-531: A neighborhood to the south of Midtown. The Memphis Medical District to the west includes University of Tennessee Health Science Center's Medical, Pharmacy, Nursing and Dentistry schools ; Methodist Hospital Schools of Radiologic Sciences and Nursing; and the Baptist College of Health Sciences. Midtown contains Overton Park which includes the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art , the Memphis Zoo , and
644-736: A notable Asian population. Cleveland Street in Crosstown is the heart of the Vietnamese population in Memphis, with multiple Vietnamese-owned businesses and a Buddhist temple. The exact boundaries of Midtown are often disputed. Generally, it is the area between the Medical District to the west and East Memphis to the east. The eastern boundary is variously defined as East Parkway, the CN railroad east of East Parkway. The northern boundary
736-402: A number of online art catalogues and galleries that have been developed independently of the support of any individual museum. Many of these, like American Art Gallery, are attempts to develop galleries of artwork that are encyclopedic or historical in focus, while others are commercial efforts to sell the work of contemporary artists. A limited number of such sites have independent importance in
828-454: Is Vollintine Avenue. VECA is generally considered the northernmost neighborhood in Midtown. Cooper-Young and Rozelle are generally regarded as the southernmost neighborhoods in Midtown. Interstate 240 provides the western border for the neighborhood, separating Midtown from Downtown and the Medical District. Due to the historic eastward expansion of the city, automobile traffic in Midtown
920-499: Is a 2,222-yard, par 34 course with 3 sets of teeboxes for different levels of golfing experience. Built in 1926, the Abe Goodman Golf Clubhouse is a Tudor-styled, brick building with a patio. Over one half of the area of Overton Park is dedicated to general outdoor recreation and/or environmental preservation . Activities include picnicking, jogging, hiking, nature study and some team sports. An off-leash area
1012-567: Is a building or space for the display of art , usually from the museum 's own collection . It might be in public or private ownership, be accessible to all, or have restrictions in place. Although primarily concerned with visual art , art museums are often used as a venue for other cultural exchanges and artistic activities, such as lectures, jewelry, performance arts , music concerts, or poetry readings. Art museums also frequently host themed temporary exhibitions, which often include items on loan from other collections. An institution dedicated to
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#17327903071861104-453: Is a natural arboretum with labeled trees along trails. The property, once known locally as Lea's Woods, was purchased by Memphis on November 14, 1901, for $ 110,000 (equivalent to $ 4,029,000 in 2023); it was located along the city's eastern and northern boundary at that time. Overton Park was designed by landscape architect George Kessler as part of a comprehensive plan that also included Riverside Park (later M.L. King Riverside Park) and
1196-595: Is a privately funded, nonprofit art museum located in Overton Park. Founded in 1916, the Brooks Museum is the oldest and largest art museum in the state of Tennessee. The facility consists of 29 galleries, art classrooms, a print study room with over 4,500 works of art on paper, a research library with over 5,000 volumes, and an auditorium. The collection has over 7,000 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, and examples of
1288-695: Is generally considered to have been the first art museum in the United States. It was originally housed in the Renwick Gallery , built in 1859. Now a part of the Smithsonian Institution , the Renwick housed William Wilson Corcoran 's collection of American and European art. The building was designed by James Renwick Jr. and finally completed in 1874. It is located at 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Renwick designed it after
1380-542: Is home to two private undergraduate universities. Rhodes College is a classical liberal arts college housing roughly two thousand students in the Vollintine-Evergreen neighborhood. Christian Brothers University is located adjacent to the Lenox neighborhood on East Parkway. Several specialized colleges and schools are also located in Midtown. The Memphis Theological Seminary is located on East Parkway, in
1472-706: Is on the National Register of Historic Places and includes over 300 plant varieties. Walking trails are maintained within the area, and markers identify 32 tree species. On June 8, 2011, 126 acres (51 ha) of the Aboretum were designated as the "Old Forest State Natural Area" by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly. The Natural Areas Program is run by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation , while
1564-408: Is one of the largest open areas (21 acres or 8.5 ha) in Memphis with no designated purpose other than outdoor recreation. It provides a safe place to play frisbee and soccer, jog, picnic, make music, ride bikes, romp with dogs, fly kites, and just hang out. There are no predetermined locations for activities; users just stake a temporary claim to unoccupied areas and have fun. People of all ages use
1656-539: Is open for dogs. These areas are under management by the Overton Park Conservancy. Overton Bark, a fenced-in, 1.3-acre (0.53 ha) dog park , is located to the southeast of the Greensward; it opened in June 2012. Separate areas are provided for large and small dogs, and water is available. It also includes benches for owners to sit on and dog to play around. The walkways, benches, and garden beds of
1748-656: Is primarily served by east–west arteries. Major traffic corridors in the district include: Midtown Memphis is connected to the Medical District and downtown via the Madison Avenue trolley line, with a park and ride station at Cleveland Street. Historically, Madison Avenue was the location of the "Dummy Line", the main east–west streetcar line that went from downtown to the Mid-South Fairgrounds (east along Madison, south down Cooper, and east along Young), and many commercial and residential structures along
1840-559: Is provided by a dedicated print room located within the museum. Murals or mosaics often remain where they have been created ( in situ ), although many have also been removed to galleries. Various forms of 20th-century art, such as land art and performance art , also usually exist outside a gallery. Photographic records of these kinds of art are often shown in galleries, however. Most museums and large art galleries own more works than they have room to display. The rest are held in reserve collections , on or off-site. A sculpture garden
1932-557: Is similar to an art gallery, presenting sculpture in an outdoor space. Sculpture has grown in popularity with sculptures installed in open spaces on both a permanent and temporary basis. Most larger paintings from about 1530 onwards were designed to be seen either in churches or palaces, and many buildings built as palaces now function successfully as art museums. By the 18th century additions to palaces and country houses were sometimes intended specifically as galleries for viewing art, and designed with that in mind. The architectural form of
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#17327903071862024-502: Is to shape identity and memory, cultural heritage, distilled narratives and treasured stories. Many art museums throughout history have been designed with a cultural purpose or been subject to political intervention. In particular, national art galleries have been thought to incite feelings of nationalism . This has occurred in both democratic and non-democratic countries, although authoritarian regimes have historically exercised more control over administration of art museums. Ludwig Justi
2116-467: Is wood framed with an elevated floor; it is about 60 feet (18.3 m) in diameter and has a hexagonal shape. Scattered picnic tables are located along the borders of the Greensward and Veterans Plaza. There are two publicly accessible playgrounds in Overton Park; one in the East Picnic Area and another to the southeast of the Greensward. The first playground in Overton Park was built in 1911; it
2208-768: The Alte Pinakothek , Munich) was opened to the public in 1779 and the Medici collection in Florence around 1789 (as the Uffizi Gallery). The opening of the Musée du Louvre during the French Revolution in 1793 as a public museum for much of the former French royal collection marked an important stage in the development of public access to art by transferring the ownership to a republican state; but it
2300-684: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 . In 1981 a narrowly divided U.S. Supreme Court found the barrier was legal, although dissenting Justice Thurgood Marshall admonished that "a group of white citizens has decided to act to keep Negro citizens from traveling through their urban "utopia" and the city has placed its seal of approval on the scheme." Overton Park was selected for inclusion in the 2009 Landslide Program sponsored by The Cultural Landscape Foundation. This program "spotlights great places designed by seminal and regionally influential landscape figures, which are threatened with change." By vote of
2392-649: The French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars , many royal collections were nationalized, even where the monarchy remained in place, as in Spain and Bavaria . In 1753, the British Museum was established and the Old Royal Library collection of manuscripts was donated to it for public viewing. In 1777, a proposal to the British government was put forward by MP John Wilkes to buy the art collection of
2484-772: The Guggenheim Museum in New York City by Frank Lloyd Wright , the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao by Frank Gehry , Centre Pompidou-Metz by Shigeru Ban , and the redesign of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art by Mario Botta . Some critics argue these galleries defeat their purposes because their dramatic interior spaces distract the eye from the paintings they are supposed to exhibit. Museums are more than just mere 'fixed structures designed to house collections.' Their purpose
2576-551: The Late Medieval period onwards, areas in royal palaces, castles , and large country houses of the social elite were often made partially accessible to sections of the public, where art collections could be viewed. At the Palace of Versailles , entrance was restricted to people of certain social classes who were required to wear the proper apparel, which typically included the appropriate accessories, silver shoe buckles and
2668-635: The Memphis College of Art . It is also known for its bars and restaurants, many of them featuring live music at night. Located in the Cooper-Young neighborhood are coffeehouses, restaurants, and bars. Located in Midtown Memphis is also a movie theatre, Studio On The Square , and the city's only professional theatre troupe, Playhouse on the Square , which currently runs three separate theatres. Grace-St. Luke's Tiffany windows are thought to be
2760-597: The Memphis Parkway System . The planning began in 1901, and Overton Park was established in 1906. The park is named in honor of John Overton , a co-founder of Memphis. Overton's name was selected in a competition to name the new park conducted by the Evening Scimitar , a local newspaper; the three choices in the voting were Memphis founding fathers Andrew Jackson , Overton, and James Winchester . The official naming occurred on July 25, 1902. In
2852-540: The National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo . The phrase "art gallery" is also sometimes used to describe businesses which display art for sale, but these are not art museums. Throughout history, large and expensive works of art have generally been commissioned by religious institutions or political leaders and been displayed in temples, churches, and palaces . Although these collections of art were not open to
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2944-624: The Papacy , while the Vatican Museums , whose collections are still owned by the Pope, trace their foundation to 1506, when the recently discovered Laocoön and His Sons was put on public display. A series of museums on different subjects were opened over subsequent centuries, and many of the buildings of the Vatican were purpose-built as galleries. An early royal treasury opened to the public
3036-622: The United States , attracting 1 million visitors per year. The zoo houses two pandas , who are local celebrities, as well as three polar bears , brought in to the Northwest Passage exhibition which opened in March 2006. The Memphis Zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species . The Zoo has been a major tenant of Overton Park for more than 100 years. The city-owned land currently designated to
3128-558: The United States Supreme Court ruled in their favor in the landmark case Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe . Nevertheless, the City of Memphis and Tennessee Department of Transportation continued to propose a number of alternatives for routing Interstate 40 through Overton Park, including building the highway in a tunnel, or in a deep trench. In 1978, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park successfully nominated
3220-553: The mystification of fine arts . Research suggests that the context in which an artwork is being presented has significant influence on its reception by the audience, and viewers shown artworks in a museum rated them more highly than when displayed in a "laboratory" setting Most art museums have only limited online collections, but a few museums, as well as some libraries and government agencies, have developed substantial online catalogues. Museums, libraries, and government agencies with substantial online collections include: There are
3312-400: The 1960s and 1970s Overton Park was the subject of controversy when 26 of its 342 acres (138 ha) were slated by highway planners to be demolished to build Interstate 40 through the park to make it easier for suburban commuters to get to downtown. A small number of residents of midtown formed a group known as Citizens to Preserve Overton Park , and challenged the plan in court. Ultimately,
3404-401: The 1970s, a number of political theorists and social commentators have pointed to the political implications of art museums and social relations. Pierre Bourdieu , for instance, argued that in spite the apparent freedom of choice in the arts, people's artistic preferences (such as classical music, rock, traditional music) strongly tie in with their social position. So called cultural capital is
3496-646: The 1970s. It was filled in during an expansion of the playground in 1979. Midtown, Memphis Midtown is home to many cultural attractions, institutions of higher education, and noteworthy pieces of architecture. The district is an anchor in Memphis' arts scene, including the Playhouse on the Square , the Brooks Museum of Art , the Memphis College of Art , and the Levitt Shell . The annual Cooper-Young Arts Festival draws over 120,000 visitors to
3588-475: The 82 natural areas themselves are often not TDEC property and are generally managed through cooperative agreements with other agencies and organizations. The bill creating the State Natural Area originally designated 142 acres (57 ha) for protection. To ease opposition from former Memphis Mayor A C Wharton and zoo officials, 14 acres (5.7 ha) of forest adjacent to the zoo were removed from
3680-576: The Arboretum designated as a State Natural Area by the Tennessee General Assembly . The Zoo's conservation department's mission statement is "To use science and technology for greater understanding of the natural world's ecosystems, to preserve the biodiversity of our plants and animals and to educate the public on conservation priorities." The 9-hole Overton Park Golf Course is located in the southwestern part of Overton Park. It
3772-517: The East End neighborhood. Overton Park is home to the Memphis College of Art , which moved to its current location from Victorian Village in the 1960s. The Southern College of Optometry and Moore Tech , a small vocational college, are located in the Crosstown area. Several other institutions of learning are located nearby. The historically black LeMoyne-Owen College operates in Soulsville,
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3864-489: The Formal Gardens extend from Morrie Moss Lane, on the western boundary of Overton Park, to Veterans Plaza; they were established in 1904–05. The gardens present a colorful array of seasonal flowers within a background of scattered evergreen and deciduous trees; the central portion of the gardens is surrounded by Crepe myrtles . Although the composition of the beds has varied over time, the layout has remained basically
3956-600: The Garden was severely damaged by vandalism. Park officials decided that rather than making repairs the structures would be removed, which began on January 2, 1942. A fountain was installed in the redesigned pond, which was retained until construction began on the Memphis College of Arts campus. Donated by Duke C. Bower, the Bower Wading Pool complemented the summer activities at Overton Park from 1913 until
4048-549: The Greensward. A portion of the Greensward is used for overflow parking for the Memphis Zoo on busy days. In March 2009, the public became aware of a plan by the City of Memphis, Tennessee Engineering Division, under the name "Lick Creek Reroute," to reduce flooding in the Lick Creek watershed by diverting floodwater from the main channel of that stream—which flows through Overton Park—into a multi-acre detention basin in
4140-475: The Greensward. The detention basin would slope downward to a maximum depth of approximately 18 ft (5.5 m), and is estimated by the City Government to be likely to be inundated by floodwater some five to seven times each year. The City estimated the cost of this project at some $ 4 million. Citizens to Preserve Overton Park opposes the proposed plan on the grounds that it would irreparably damage
4232-812: The Hampline is a two-way bicycle track that will connect Overton Park to Shelby Farms in suburban Memphis via the Shelby Farms Greenline. Midtown public schools include Snowden School (elementary and middle), Idlewild Elementary, Rozelle Elementary, Peabody Elementary, Bellevue Middle, Fairview Middle, and Central High School , some of which offer optional programs. Several private and parochial schools are also found throughout Midtown, including Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School , Immaculate Conception Cathedral School and Memphis Catholic High School . The 1st Class Montessori School has operated for over twenty years on Peabody Avenue in Midtown. Midtown
4324-602: The Louvre's Tuileries addition. At the time of its construction, it was known as "the American Louvre". University art museums and galleries constitute collections of art developed, owned, and maintained by all kinds of schools, community colleges, colleges, and universities. This phenomenon exists in the West and East, making it a global practice. Although easily overlooked, there are over 700 university art museums in
4416-736: The Marxist theory of mystification and elite culture . Furthermore, certain art galleries, such as the National Gallery in London and the Louvre in Paris are situated in buildings of considerable emotional impact. The Louvre in Paris is for instance located in the former Royal Castle of the ancient regime , and is thus clearly designed with a political agenda. It has been argued that such buildings create feelings of subjugation and adds to
4508-591: The Memphis City Council on December 6, 2011, the nonprofit Overton Park Conservancy assumed management of 184 acres (74 ha) of Overton Park. The 10-year agreement covers the East Picnic Area, Greensward, Formal Gardens, Old Forest State Natural Area, and Veteran's Plaza. The Levitt Shell, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis College of Art, Memphis Zoo, and the Overton Park Golf Course are managed independently. The Brooks Museum
4600-464: The Memphis College of Arts is currently located. It was a gift from former Memphis Park Commissioner Robert Galloway. George Kessler, who designed Overton Park, also designed the Japanese Garden, which included pagodas, an arched bridge to a central island, and many decorative sculptures. This area was a popular and highly photographed feature of Overton Park. After the attack on Pearl Harbor ,
4692-857: The Overton Park facilities in February, 1959. There are around 450 students each year, with 350 being undergraduate and 100 being graduate students. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Memphis College of Art provides a rigorous curriculum in an intimate, diverse community. It has enabled generations of leading artists, designers and educators to flourish professionally and contribute valuable ideas to society. Unfortunately, due to economic problems, as of October, 2017,
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#17327903071864784-555: The Pavilion. One of the best attended presentations was when Charles Lindbergh spoke on the future of aviation on October 5, 1927, as part of the "Lindbergh Tour" . The Pavilion had an observation tower providing scenic views of the surrounding landscape. After its demise, visitor use shifted to the recently constructed Overton Park Shell. In 1914, the Japanese Garden was built around an existing pond in Overton Park, where
4876-567: The Shelby County list on the pedestal of the nearby Doughboy statue. The Memory Grove Memorial was initially located on the south boundary of Overton Park within view of Poplar Avenue; it was later moved to Veterans Plaza. A statue of Margaret Polk, the namesake of the Memphis Belle , honors the B-17 bomber and its crew; the memorial was unveiled in October 2011 and was sponsored by The Memphis Belle Memorial Association. Memorials for World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Desert Storm consist of two white limestone walls with bronze panels bearing
4968-424: The US alone. This number, compared to other kinds of art museums, makes university art museums perhaps the largest category of art museums in the country. While the first of these collections can be traced to learning collections developed in art academies in Western Europe, they are now associated with and housed in centers of higher education of all types. The word gallery being originally an architectural term,
5060-458: The World War I memorials; it was made in 1926 of copper from pennies that were collected by local school children. The statue was designed and constructed by sculptor Nancy Hahn at a cost of $ 15,000; it was sponsored by Daughters of the American Revolution . The "Memory Grove" Memorial was created in 1932 by the American War Mothers (Memphis Chapter No. 1) to honor their sons killed in World War I. The bronze plaque has 27 names, which also appear in
5152-492: The Zoo was defined by the Overton Park master plan in 1988. The Zoo is set on 76 acres (31 ha), of which approximately 55 acres (22 ha) are developed. In 2008, the Memphis Zoo was ranked "#1 Zoo in the U.S." by TripAdvisor .com. In independent surveys commissioned by TripAdvisor, the Memphis Zoo scored a 90 percent overall satisfaction score, almost 25 percent higher than the national zoo average. The Zoo has completed over $ 77 million for renovation and expansion since
5244-436: The Zoo's new Teton Trek exhibit. The Teton Trek exhibit will feature animals native to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem such as grizzly bears , elk , gray wolves , trumpeter swans and sandhill crane . The Zoo's decision to clear old growth forest to build the Teton Trek exhibit has been criticized by Citizens to Preserve Overton Park and Park Friends Inc, who subsequently pursued a successful, 16-month campaign to have
5336-433: The active lending-out of a museum's collected objects in order to enhance education at schools and to aid in the cultural development of individual members of the community. Finally, Dana saw branch museums throughout a city as a good method of making sure that every citizen has access to its benefits. Dana's view of the ideal museum sought to invest a wider variety of people in it, and was self-consciously not elitist. Since
5428-418: The art world. The large auction houses, such as Sotheby's , Bonhams , and Christie's , maintain large online databases of art which they have auctioned or are auctioning. Bridgeman Art Library serves as a central source of reproductions of artwork, with access limited to museums, art dealers , and other professionals or professional organizations. There are also online galleries that have been developed by
5520-450: The avenue date to the beginning of the twentieth century. Most of this stretch of Madison contains its original granite curbs, and in a few locations the original brick pavers can be seen in the gutters. Bicycle infrastructure is growing in Midtown, with bike lanes now installed on McLean Boulevard, Madison Avenue, Southern Avenue, and Cooper Street. Protected bike lanes have been installed on portions of Overton Park Avenue. Additionally,
5612-412: The college is no longer enrolling new students, and will close after graduating the present student body. Overton Park Zoo (now named the Memphis Zoo ) began in 1906, when a resident of Memphis couldn't keep his pet black bear in his backyard. He had it put in a pen in the park, which attracted many people, inspiring the idea to place more animals on display. The Memphis Zoo is now one of the largest in
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#17327903071865704-469: The community are located within Overton Park. The Main Pavilion was the principal gathering place in Overton Park from its construction in 1902 until it was damaged beyond repair by a storm in 1936. It was the first building built in Overton Park. The Formal Garden and Conway Memorial were later built in association with the Main Pavilion, which was located at the east entrance to the Formal Garden. Frequent public dances, concerts, and civic events were held at
5796-503: The completion of the renovations on September 8, 2008, free concerts are now once again held in the Shell. Memphis College of Art is a small, private college of art and design located in Overton Park. It offers Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts in Art Education and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. Some of the majors include graphic design, drawing, painting, printmaking, book arts, computer arts, photography, animation, and illustration. Founded in 1936, it moved into
5888-435: The decorative arts. In 2017, the Brooks Museum announced that they will be relocating to a facility in downtown Memphis. Overton Park also includes the famous Shell theater, where Elvis Presley gave his first paid concert on July 30, 1954. The Overton Park Shell was built in 1936 by the City of Memphis and the Works Progress Administration for $ 11,935, as part of the New Deal . Designed by architect Max Furbringer , it
5980-446: The display of art can be called an art museum or an art gallery, and the two terms may be used interchangeably. This is reflected in the names of institutions around the world, some of which are considered art galleries, such as the National Gallery in London and Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin , and some of which are considered museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and
6072-629: The display rooms in museums are often called public galleries . Also frequently, a series of rooms dedicated to specific historic periods (e.g. Ancient Egypt ) or other significant themed groupings of works (e.g. the gypsotheque or collection of plaster casts as in the Ashmolean Museum ) within a museum with a more varied collection are referred to as specific galleries, e.g. Egyptian Gallery or Cast Gallery . Works on paper, such as drawings , pastels , watercolors , prints , and photographs are typically not permanently displayed for reasons of conservation . Instead, public access to these materials
6164-635: The district. Midtown also plays host to multiple universities and colleges, including Memphis College of Art , Rhodes College , and Christian Brothers University . Midtown is characterized by vintage residential housing, a blend of independent and chain retailers, and high-rise buildings. Multiple historic districts are located in Midtown, and commercial corridors such as Overton Square and Cooper Street developed before World War II in an urban style. Mixed use areas with housing, religious, commercial and office spaces are common in Midtown. Midtown has an evenly distributed black and white population, as well as
6256-420: The early 1990s. The Zoo's animal inhabitants reside in one-of-a-kind exhibitry, such as Northwest Passage and CHINA - home to giant pandas Ya Ya and Le Le. The Memphis Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). In February, 2008, the Memphis Zoo cleared 4 acres (1.6 ha) of old growth forest in the Old Forest Arboretum at Overton Park in order to begin construction of
6348-576: The entire building solely intended to be an art gallery was arguably established by Sir John Soane with his design for the Dulwich Picture Gallery in 1817. This established the gallery as a series of interconnected rooms with largely uninterrupted wall spaces for hanging pictures and indirect lighting from skylights or roof lanterns . The late 19th century saw a boom in the building of public art galleries in Europe and America, becoming an essential cultural feature of larger cities. More art galleries rose up alongside museums and public libraries as part of
6440-429: The founder of the Newark Museum , saw the traditional art museum as a useless public institution, one that focused more on fashion and conformity rather than education and uplift. Indeed, Dana's ideal museum would be one best suited for active and vigorous use by the average citizen, located near the center of their daily movement. In addition, Dana's conception of the perfect museum included a wider variety of objects than
6532-424: The general public, they were often made available for viewing for a section of the public. In classical times , religious institutions began to function as an early form of art gallery. Wealthy Roman collectors of engraved gems and other precious objects, such as Julius Caesar , often donated their collections to temples. It is unclear how easy it was in practice for the public to view these items. In Europe, from
6624-407: The history of Veterans Plaza states that "... through these memorials we pay honor to 1,525 Shelby County veterans who were killed in the 20th and 21st century wars." An adjoining plaque provides commendation for Pete Dugan, a World War II veteran, "... honoring his steadfast commitment to the cause of Veterans Plaza in Overton Park." The Doughboy statue, which is the hallmark of the area, is one of
6716-654: The intersection of Cooper and Young, in Midtown. Another area, Overton Square, holds a St. Patrick's Day celebration. Midtown was also home to the Mid-South Fair for 152 years. However, the year 2008 was the last year that the Mid-South Fair was held in Memphis. Starting in 2009, the Mid-South Fair was held on newly acquired land at Tunica, Mississippi . 35°08′42″N 89°59′24″W / 35.145°N 89.99°W / 35.145; -89.99 Art museum An art museum or art gallery
6808-560: The lake in 1929. It is the only remaining water feature from George Kessler's original plan. Veterans Plaza contains memorials to the veterans of Memphis and Shelby County who were killed defending the freedom of the United States. It is located in Overton Park just to the south of the Memphis Zoo and to the west of the Greensward. The 2-acre (0.81 ha) area is home to a collection of memorials: World War I (established 1926 and 1932), World War II (2001), Korean War (2003), Vietnam War (2003), and Desert Storm (2003). A plaque providing
6900-469: The largest collection of Tiffany windows in a parish church in the South. Central Gardens is a historic neighborhood in Midtown. Tennessee Williams wrote his first publicly performed play, Cairo, Shanghai, Bombay! while staying in the Midtown home of his grandparents: 1917 Snowden Ave. It was first performed in 1935 at 1780 Glenview, also in Midtown. The Cooper-Young Festival is also held annually at
6992-707: The late Sir Robert Walpole , who had amassed one of the greatest such collections in Europe , and house it in a specially built wing of the British Museum for public viewing. After much debate, the idea was eventually abandoned due to the great expense, and twenty years later, the collection was bought by Tsaritsa Catherine the Great of Russia and housed in the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg . The Bavarian royal collection (now in
7084-647: The monarch, and the first purpose-built national art galleries were the Dulwich Picture Gallery , founded in 1814 and the National Gallery, London opened to the public a decade later in 1824. Similarly, the National Gallery in Prague was not formed by opening an existing royal or princely art collection to the public, but was created from scratch as a joint project of some Czech aristocrats in 1796. The Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
7176-655: The municipal drive for literacy and public education. Over the middle and late twentieth century, earlier architectural styles employed for art museums (such as the Beaux-Arts style of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City or the Gothic and Renaissance Revival architecture of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum) succumbed to modern styles , such as Deconstructivism . Examples of this trend include
7268-851: The names of the Shelby County war dead. In addition, a series of five bronze panels provide detailed information on the Korean War. Flags displayed in Veterans Plaza include the American Flag , the Tennessee State Flag , and the POW/MIA Flag . Memorial services are often held in Veterans Plaza in observance of notable dates, such as Memorial Day , Veterans Day , and Pearl Harbor Day . A number of memorials honoring Memphians for their meritorious service to
7360-602: The paintings of the Orleans Collection , which were housed in a wing of the Palais-Royal in Paris and could be visited for most of the 18th century. In Italy, the art tourism of the Grand Tour became a major industry from the 18th century onwards, and cities made efforts to make their key works accessible. The Capitoline Museums began in 1471 with a donation of classical sculpture to the city of Rome by
7452-537: The park to the National Register of Historic Places , thus guaranteeing that without approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Federal funding could not be used for projects that damaged the park's historic integrity. The Memphis Commercial Appeal called the National Registration the "final nail in the coffin" of efforts to route Interstate 40 through Overton Park. Beginning in June 1974,
7544-416: The park's value to the residents of Memphis, Tennessee . The City Government asserts that the public will continue to be able to enjoy the park, and that the slope of the basin will barely be noticeable to park users. On June 9, 2009, the City of Memphis, Tennessee decided it would not proceed with the plan for a detention basin in the Greensward. An engineer with the city was quoted as saying, "We think it
7636-402: The protective area. An East Picnic Area (about 15 acres or 6.1 ha) is located along the eastern boundary of Overton Park. Numerous picnic tables are located beneath a nearly continuous canopy of mature oaks. The "Picnic Pavilion" is centrally located within this area; it was designed by George Kessler and built in 1904. It is the oldest surviving facility in Overton Park. The Picnic Pavilion
7728-541: The road system within the interior of Overton Park was gradually closed to motorized vehicles on weekends and holidays, which were called "People's Days". Although initially there were some objections, the new policy gained popularity, and the closures were made permanent on April 13, 1987, except for official vehicles. When the entirely white Hein Park community walled off access to Overton Park through West Drive, predominantly black neighbors from across Jackson Avenue sued under
7820-519: The same. The Clara Conway Memorial Pergola was built in conjunction with the Formal Gardens to honor Clara Conway , a distinguished Memphis educator. Regrettably, the Memorial was destroyed in a 1936 storm, but residents still associate Conway's name with the Formal Gardens. Located in Overton Park and bounded by Veterans Plaza, Rainbow Lake, the Memphis Zoo, and the Golf Course, the Greensward
7912-399: The traditional art museum, including industrial tools and handicrafts that encourage imagination in areas traditionally considered mundane. This view of the art museum envisions it as one well-suited to an industrial world, indeed enhancing it. Dana viewed paintings and sculptures as much less useful than industrial products, comparing the museum to a department store. In addition, he encouraged
8004-626: Was a continuation of trends already well established. The building now occupied by the Prado in Madrid was built before the French Revolution for the public display of parts of the royal art collection, and similar royal galleries were opened to the public in Vienna , Munich and other capitals. In Great Britain, however, the corresponding Royal Collection remained in the private hands of
8096-424: Was an appropriate plan, but we've shelved it." Instead, the city will explore two other options, one involving part of the park's golf course, the other involving construction of a berm on another part of the park grounds. The Old Forest Arboretum (172 acres or 70 ha) is a forest tract and natural arboretum located on the east side of Overton Park. It is open to the public daily without charge. The Old Forest
8188-615: Was for example dismissed as director of the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) in Berlin in 1933 by the new Nazi authorities for not being politically suitable. The question of the place of the art museum in its community has long been under debate. Some see art museums as fundamentally elitist institutions, while others see them as institutions with the potential for societal education and uplift. John Cotton Dana , an American librarian and museum director, as well as
8280-719: Was modeled after similar shells in Chicago, New York, and St. Louis. The WPA built 27 band shells; the Overton Park Shell is one of only a few that still remain. After various changes in ownership, the Shell was renamed in 2007 as the Levitt Shell at Overton Park and a large-scale renovation underwritten by the Levitt Foundation was begun. The renovation was conducted by Memphis firm Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects with state-of-the-art audio and visual design. With
8372-637: Was the Green Vault of the Kingdom of Saxony in the 1720s. Privately funded museums open to the public began to be established from the 17th century onwards, often based around a collection of the cabinet of curiosities type. The first such museum was the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford , opened in 1683 to house and display the artefacts of Elias Ashmole that were given to Oxford University in
8464-402: Was the first publicly accessible playground in Memphis. Rainbow Lake is a concrete-lined lake forming the eastern boundary of the Greensward. This 2-acre (0.81 ha) lake has a curvilinear shape and has a water cascade on its east side. A sidewalk completely goes around the lake. Its name comes from the rainbow effect created by a series of spray-type fountains (no longer present) installed in
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