Topeka
Kansas
Mulvane Art Museum
Mission:
The mission of the Mulvane Art Museum at Washburn University is to provide members of the Washburn community and Topeka residents and visitors a museum where they can learn to think independentally and critically about art, appreciate art as a vehicle for communicating human values, and value the diversity of human creativity.
History:
Joab R. Mulvane, 1837-1929, came to Kansas in 1876 and distinguished himself as one of the most successful Kansan's of his generation. The breadth of his interests has shaped Kansas and beyond especially in shipping logistics given the strategic advantage of Kansas as a single point distribution hub for North America. He was president of at least nine railroads and presided over the Chicago, Kansas and Western Railway Company, as its President, when it built over 900 miles of rail lines for the Santa Fe. In 1922 Mulvane pledged a gift to build the Mulvane Art Museum and the building opened to the public in 1924. In 1946, through the encouragement of Alexander Tillotson, Director of the Washburn Art Department, the Topeka Junior League spreaheaded the formation of a group now known as the Friends of the Mulvane Art Museum.
Accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1988, the Mulvane Art Museum, one of the oldest art museums west of the Mississippi, houses a collection of approximately 4,000 objects from around the world including paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, photographs and decorative art. While international in scope, the Museum's collection focuses on the works of artists from Kansas and the Mountain Plains region of the Unitied States. In addition to exhibiting works from the collection the Museum also presents changing exhibitons featuring artists from around the world.
Upcoming Events at Mulvane Art Museum
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Recent News
A Heartfelt Thank You for 100 Years of Art at the Mulvane
Season's Greetings! As we stand on the brink of a new chapter in the Mulvane Art Museum's storied history, we are filled with immense gratitude and excitement. We extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who has played a role in…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - August 2023
The Mulvane Art Museum is going through some changes. Construction on the main galleries has begun— the museum is now a hard hat zone. We expect construction to last around 8 months as the old HVAC system is replaced. The Rita Blitt Gallery…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - April , 2023
When the Mulvane Art Museum opened in 1924, efforts to build a collection of art began almost immediately. One hundred years later, that collection has grown to more than 6000 artworks. In those early years, protocols for the preservation and care…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter March 2023
Endangered Art Feeding the Sacred Ibis Anatole Henri de Beaulieu was a student of nineteenth-century painter, Eugène Delacroix. His paintings are characterized by an interest in figures and scenes from the Near and Middle East. The…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - February 1, 2023
Gallery Talk Rachel Epp Buller Thursday, Feb. 2 1:30 - 2:30 pm Hear from Rachel Epp Buller, the artist featured in the WUmester exhibition Invitations to Listen. She created the art in this show as a response to her daily listening walks…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum : Upcoming Public Events
The Mulvane Art Museum is hosting a series of free programs this spring that allow our community to engage with our collection, exhibitions, and interactive art spaces. Stay up to date on our in-person and digital offerings by following us on…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - January 17, 2023
Mulvane Art Museum: New Exhibitions Open for Spring 2023 The Mulvane Art Museum at Washburn University presents two new exhibitions, on view until March 18, 2023. Invitations to Listen features art that Rachel Epp Buller created in response to…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - January 9, 2023
Message from the Director Welcome to 2023 and 99 years of art at the Mulvane Art Museum. There is much going on behind the scenes as we prepare for 2024 and our centennial celebration and I hope you will stay tuned to this space as we roll out…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - November 1, 2022
Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - November 1, 2022 This November, we are looking forward to hosting a diverse series of public events and programs. From First Friday Extended Hours to Weekly Art Journaling Meet-Ups, we are excited to welcome you to…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - October 11, 2022
From First Friday evening hours, to Slow Art lunchtime lectures, and a weekly Art Journaling Meet-up, the Mulvane Art Museum is hosting a series of free programs this fall that allow the public to engage with our artwork, exhibitions, and…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum - Art Journaling Meet-up
Art Journaling MEET-UP THURSDAYS 12:30 - 2:30 pm Room 16, Garvey Fine Arts This semester, join Monique Robins, MLS, Outreach CEP/ Coordinator, Washburn University College of Arts and Sciences, for weekly art journaling workshops in the Mulvane…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - September 27, 2022
Glasses for color blind visitors now available at Mulvane Art Museum (KSNT) “So far, the people that have come in and tried it, their lives are changed because of it,” said Education Curator Jonathan Matteson. “They’ve even…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - September 13, 2022
Please join us in support of International Color Blindness Awareness Month (September) and attend our EnChroma accessibility program launch on Saturday, September 17, 1 - 4 pm. EnChroma glasses help the color blind see an expanded range of colors…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum : International Color Blindness Awareness Day
Today is International Color Blindness Awareness Day! Please join us in support of International Color Blindness Awareness Month (September) and attend our EnChroma accessibility program launch on Saturday, September 17, 1 - 4 pm. At this event,…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Announces Accessibility Program For Visitors With Color Vision Deficiencies
The Mulvane Art Museum is the first museum in Kansas to offer eyewear by EnChroma, Inc., to visitors with color vision deficiencies, or “color blindness.” Thanks to EnChroma’s Color Accessibility Program, the Mulvane Art…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - August 30, 2022
First Friday Extended Gallery Hours September 2, 2022, 5 - 7 PM The Mulvane Art Museum galleries will be open with extended hours on First Friday, September 2, 2022. Come by and see our fall exhibitions AB X, and Rita Blitt: Drawings From The…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - August 16, 2022
Mulvane Art Museum Appoints Academic Curator After conducting a national search, the Mulvane Art Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Academic Curator Sara Stepp. The Academic Curator post is a one-year NEH grant-funded position,…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - August 2, 2022
Mulvane ArtLab Reopens August 6, 202 Starting Saturday, August 6, 2022, the Mulvane Art Museum’s ArtLab will reopen with new hours. Public Hours: ArtLab will be open to the public on Tuesday evenings from 4 pm – 7 pm and Saturday…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - July 19, 2022
Academic art museums play a pivotal role in their communities, across campus and beyond. The Mulvane Art Museum's exhibitions and collections present an opportunity to use artworks to prompt larger social and political conversations. For this…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter July 5, 2022
We hope you enjoyed a safe and happy Fourth of July holiday! Mulvane Art Museum staff are spending the month of July preparing for the upcoming exhibitions for our 2022 - 2023 academic year. Stay posted for details about our forthcoming exhibitions…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum - Mulvane Art Lab to Reopen August 6th
Starting Saturday, August 6, 2022, the Mulvane Art Museum's ArtLab will reopen with new hours. The Mulvane Art Museum's ArtLab, an innovative center for hands-on arts education, has been temporarily closed to the public while the museum conducted a…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter - June 21, 2022
Mulvane ArtLab Reopening August 6, 2022 Starting Saturday, August 6, 2022, the Mulvane Art Museum’s ArtLab will reopen with new hours. Public hours: ArtLab will be open to the public on Tuesday evenings from 4 pm – 7 pm and…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter May 24, 2022
Jenny Meyer-McCall paints BMW for Mulvane Art Fair Kansas City artist Jenny Meyer-McCall, in partnership with Aristocrat Motors Topeka, will be painting an original artwork on a new BMW i4 at Evergy Plaza all day on Tuesday, May 31, and Wednesday,…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter May 10, 2022
Mulvane Art Museum Appoints New Curator of Education Please join us in welcoming Jonathan Matteson, Curator of Education, Mulvane Art Museum. Matteson has a B.F.A. in studio art from Washington State University and an M.F.A. in studio art from the…
Read More »Mulvane Art Museum Newsletter April 26, 2022
Become a Mulvane Art Fair Patron! The Mulvane Art Fair is set for June 4 - 5 on Washburn University's beautiful campus. The art fair features an exciting variety of artists, a children's art tent, live music, food, and a beer garden. Our patron…
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