Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

 

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden opened in 1974 to house the modern art collection of Joseph H. Hirshhorn. Located west of the Arts and Industries Building, in the first truly modern building on the National Mall, the Museum and Sculpture Garden feature artists such as Calder, de Kooning, and Rodin.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Hirshhorn Museum, 1978
Exterior view of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden with the sculpture garden in the foreground. Visitors are visible in the garden and on the ramp.
Demolition of Army Medical Museum
Army Medical Museum Demolition, 1969
Demolition the old Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Medical Museum to make room for the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden building, spring 1969.
Construction of the Hirshhorn Museum
Hirshhorn Construction, 1972
View of a new museum building, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, during construction. The National Gallery of Art's West Building, and the National Archives are visible in the background.
Mayor Washington and Joseph Hirshhorn
Hirshhorn Opening, 1974
Mayor Walter Washington presents Joseph Hirshhorn with the key to city on the opening day of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, October 4, 1974.
Interior Court of the HMSG on Opening Night
Hirshhorn Opening, 1974
On opening night of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, October 4, 1974, a crowd has gathered in the interior court.
Hirshhorn Museum on Opening Night, by Unknown, 1974, Smithsonian Archives - History Div, 94-2860.
Aerial View of Hirshhorn, 1974
Aerial view of the Sculpture Garden of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden taken on opening night, October 4, 1974.
Abram Lerner Greeting First Visitor to HMSG
First Hirshhorn Visitor, 1974
Abram Lerner, Director, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 1967-1984, greets the first visitor to the Museum when it opened, Mrs. H.A. Calkins of Monrovia, California.
Visitors to HMSG on Opening Night, by Unknown, 1974, Smithsonian Archives - History Div, 92-1645.
Hirshhorn Galleries, 1974
Guests explore the treasure of art works in one of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden galleries on opening night, October 4, 1974.
Aristide Maillol's Nymph and Mallard Ducks Outside Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Ducks in Sculpture Garden Pond, 1975
Visitors to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in June not only saw Aristide Maillol's Nymph but also this wild mallard duck, proudly swimming with her young. A pair of mallards surprisingly had made the garden their home.
Georgia O'Keeffe with Magritte Sculpture
Georgia O’Keefe, 1977
Georgia O'Keefe at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) with Rene Magritte's sculpture "Delusions of Grandeur," 11 November 1977.
HMSG sculpture airlifted back to garden
Reinstallation of Sculpture Garden, 1981
Auguste Rodin's "Burghers of Calais" is airlifted back into the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden's sculpture garden after the renovation of the garden.
Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden
Sculpture Garden After Renovation, 1985
Statues displayed in the sunken Sculpture Garden of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden 
Installation of Jim Dine's Exhibit at HMSG
Installation of "Two Black Hearts," 1985
On the plaza of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, February 1985, one of the two hearts of Jim Dine's bronze work "Two Big Black Hearts" is being hoisted by workmen using ropes in preparation for its installation inside the museum. The hearts, which are encrusted with molds of hands, faces, axes, hammers and other tools, were completed for "Jim Dine: Five Themes" on view at the HMSG until April 28, 1985. The National Air and Space Museum is in the background.
Associates Tour of the HMSG
Conservation Lab, 1986
At a conservation demonstration by conservator Susan Lake, visiting Associates tour the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Onlookers are (l-r): Albert Camarillo (Stanford), Dwight Henderson (University of Texas), Philip Young (University of Oregon), Robert Perry (Bowling Green State), Mary Jean Moseley (Fort Lewis College), Suzanne Brooks (Penn State), Fellowships and Grants Program Assistant Carolin McManus, and Ray Branham.
Unloading Part of Hirshhorn Bequest, by Unknown, 1986, Smithsonian Archives - History Div, 97-9609.
Unloading Hirshhorn Bequest, 1986
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden staffers unloading Alan Feltus' "Three Women" (1973), one of the large number of paintings, drawings and sculpture from the Joseph Hirshhorn bequest that arrived from the New York City warehouse where they were kept previously. This bequest added about 5,500 additional works to the collection. Photograph shows painting being unloaded at the garage at the side (7th and Independence) of the Museum.
Willem de Kooning in His Studio
de Kooning Exhibit, 1993
"Willem de Kooning: from the Hirshhorn Museum Collection," opens at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and will last through January 9, 1994. This launches an extensive tour of 50 works charting the Dutch-born American artist's development from 1939-1985
Aerial View of the Mall Filled with People and Tents for 150th Birthday Party on the Mall
Smithsonian 150th Anniversary, 1996
An aerial view of the National Mall and the Smithsonian Museums looking east towards the United States Capitol Building, August 10, 1996. The Mall is filled with people and tents for the Birthday Party on the Mall celebrating the Smithsonian's 150th anniversary. Buildings that can be seen in the photograph are the Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution Building, Arts and Industries Building, Hirshhorn Museum, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Gallery of Art, United States Capitol Building, National Archives and Records Administration, and the Department of Energy Forrestal Building.
Conversation Sculpture at Hirshhorn
Conversation Sculpture, 1999
Installation of Last Conversation Piece, by Juan Muñoz, 1994-1995, on the grassy plaza outside of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Peck Presidential Awards, Hirshhorn
Ring Auditorium Program, 2003
Presentation of the Paul Peck Presidential Awards in a Town Hall Session at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden's Ring Auditorium.
Hirshhorn Family Day
Family Day, 2004
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Family Day Garden Party with families sitting on the plaza.