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Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art

Introduction

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This campus art museum opened in 1996 and is named after donor Marianna Beach and her husband who established the gift on their 50th wedding anniversary. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and houses the permanent art collection of Kansas State University. The museum offers exhibits of works by regional artists and events throughout the year. The museum features works from various Kansas artists, including John Steuart Curry, Patricia Duncan, and Gordon Parks.

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  • Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art

Backstory and Context

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Construction of this university art museum began in 1990 and the museum opened in October 1996 thanks to a $3 million gift from Ross and Marianna Beach. The Beach family were leading philanthropists in Kansas prior to their deaths in 2010 and 2014, donating much of their wealth related to banking and other industries to leading Kansas institutions. Prior to the opening of this museum, the university's art collections were displayed and held in various buildings and offices throughout the campus. The offers 26,000 square feet of gallery space.

Ross Beach was a leading Kansas businessman in sectors ranging from banking to oil and gas. He provided funds to build this museum to honor his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary. Additional donations support the creation of a variety of galleries, including the Mary and Morgan Jarvis wing of the museum which was completed in the museum's eighth year and offers three more exhibition galleries and three new art storage areas along with more office space for employees.

Together, the museum's galleries offer an in-depth look at the art of Kansas while also hosting events and exhibitions that bring artists from all over the world to the heart of Kansas while offering a growing collection of over 6,500 pieces.

Sources

“Beach Art Museum”, Kansas State University. Accessed May 12th 2021. https://www.k-state.edu/maps/buildings/BA/.

Stokes, Keith. “Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art,” Kansas Travel. Published 2007. Accessed May 12th 2021. http://www.kansastravel.org/beachmuseumofart.htm

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