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Kansas galleries just ahead

Nerman Museum of Art
Overland Park
In 2007, Johnson County Community College in Overland Park opened the Nerman Museum of Art, the largest contemporary art museum in a four-state region.

“Our focus is on cutting-edge contemporary art drawn from exhibitions worldwide,” said museum director Bruce Hartman. “Our collection is over 1,000 works of art. Kansas City has really gained a national and international reputation for contemporary art, so it’s one reason why you see such a dynamic program here.”

The museum’s permanent collection is housed in galleries on the second floor; the first-floor galleries host 12 changing exhibitions each year in a variety of mediums such as painting, ceramics and electronic media.

Several major permanent installations also make an impact on visitors. At the entrance, an array of 60,000 white LED lights flicker across stainless-steel panels, creating hypnotic waves of light. In the large window above the museum’s grand staircase, a large imperial Asian robe has been assembled using tens of thousands of steel dog tags.

The interesting installations are part of the museum’s forward-thinking mission.

“We have the only dedicated new media gallery in the region,” Hartman said. “It focuses on electronic media and video projections. It can be works in neon, computer terminals or whatever else the artist wants.”

www.nermanmuseum.org

Strawberry Hill Museum

Kansas City
A multiethnic immigrant heritage in Kansas City inspired the creators of the Strawberry Hill museum, who use a historic home to display furniture and traditional crafts from various parts of the world.

“Because we’re an ethnic museum, housed in an 1887 High Victorian mansion, each of the different ethnic rooms displays their tradition, their culture and their artifacts,” said museum curator Adrienne Nastav.

“We’re one of the only museums you can find west of the Mississippi that has this kind of unique facility, displaying all the different nationalities.”

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, immigrants came from throughout Europe to work in packing houses around Kansas City, bringing along everyday items from the old country that are now recognized for their artistic value. In the different ethnic rooms at the museum, visitors will find wax-colored eggs from the Ukraine, “matryoshka” dolls from Russia, crystal from Poland and amber from Lithuania.

Seasonal events bring even more artwork to the museum. From May through July, local artists display their works at Strawberry Hill, and the holidays bring temporary art exhibits from additional countries.

“During Christmastime, we have more artifacts come in from places like Belgium, Germany, Italy and Latin America,” Nastav said.

www.strawberryhillmuseum.org