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Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon
NewtonCourt/Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon is located in Massachusetts
NewtonCourt/Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon
Location in Massachusetts
NewtonCourt/Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon is located in the United States
NewtonCourt/Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon
NewtonCourt/Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon (the United States)
Established1999
LocationBalls Hill Road, Concord, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°29′16″N 71°19′30″W / 42.48769°N 71.32510°W / 42.48769; -71.32510
TypeArt museum
OwnerMassachusetts Audubon Society
WebsiteMuseum of American Bird Art


Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon is an art museum planned to be built at Mass Audubon's Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary in Concord, Massachusetts.

History

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The first site of the museum was at the Mildred Morse Allen Wildlife Sanctuary in Canton. Allen, an artist, filmmaker, conservationist, and philanthropist, was the granddaughter of Elijah A. Morse[1]. Upon her death in 1989, Allen bequeathed her house, art studio, and 121 acres of land to Mass Audubon.[2] Allen's house was used as the sanctuary headquarters. The museum opened in Allen's art studio in 1999, under the name, "Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center".[3][4] The museum was given its current name in 2013.[5] The museum's first director was Amy Montague.

In 2019, Concord resident Nancy Beeuwkes donated 143 acres of land, and several buildings, to Mass Audubon.[6] The land became the Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary.[7]

In the late 19th century, the land, known as October Farm, was owned by ornithologist William Brewster, who was the first president of Mass Audubon.[8] An 80-acre portion of October Farm, adjacent to the sanctuary and known as the October Farm Riverfront, is owned by the Concord Land Conservation Trust and the Town of Concord.[9]

Dr. Jennifer Tafe was appointed Director of the museum in 2024.[10]

Proposed New Museum

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Mass Audubon originally planned to renovate the 1985 residence on October Farm to serve as the new museum, using a design by Oudens Ello Architecture[11]. Reed Hilderbrand was to carry out the landscape architecture work.[12].

In 2024, Mass Audubon announced a plan to build a new museum building on the property.[13] Groundbreaking is expected in 2026.

Exhibitions

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Exhibitions at the museum's first location in Milton featured Andy Warhol and John James Audubon[14], David Allen Sibley[15], Tony King[16], Arthur B. Singer[17], and artist-in-residence Barry Van Dusen[18] [19]

In 2022, MABA collaborated with the Concord Museum on an exhibit entitled Alive with Birds: William Brewster in Concord that was on display at the Concord Museum.[20]

Collection

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References

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  1. ^ Galluzzo, John J. (2005). Mass Audubon. Arcadia. p. 110. ISBN 0-7385-3782-9.
  2. ^ Montague, Amy (16 April 2020). "MABA's Benefactor: Mildred Morse Allen". Taking Flight. Mass Audubon. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  3. ^ Brown, Nell Porter (May–June 2017). "Birds in Hand: Mass Audubon's unique art museum in Canton". Harvard Magazine. Retrieved 6 June 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  4. ^ "Massachusetts Audubon Society Records". Massachusetts Historical Society. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Mass Audubon VAC announces new name". Canton Citizen. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  6. ^ Carter, Rob (28 January 2019). "Concord resident makes historic land donation to Mass Audubon". Wicked Local Concord. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  7. ^ O'Connor, Michael P. "Gift of Spectacular 143-Acre Concord Property Largest in Organization's History". Mass Audubon. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  8. ^ Brown, Nell Porter. "Honoring a Life With Birds". Harvard Magazine (July-August 2022). Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  9. ^ "October Farm Riverfront". Concord Land Conservation Trust. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Welcoming MABA's New Director". Mass Audubon. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary". Oudens Ello Architecture. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ^ Levinson, Betsy (14 March 2022). "Mass Audubon shares general plan for Brewster's Woods, Concord residents concerned about gatherings". Concord Journal. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  13. ^ "A New Home for the Museum of American Bird Art". Mass Audubon. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  14. ^ Feinberg, Jody (9 February 2019). "New exhibit of bird art by Warhol and Audubon at Canton museum". Metrowest Daily News. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  15. ^ "What It's Like to Be a Bird: Paintings by David Sibley". MutualArt.com. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  16. ^ "B. A. Tony King". askArt.com. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Arthur Singer". SingerArts.com. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Wildlife art by Barry Van Dusen on view". BirdWatching. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Barry Van Dusen". Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Alive with Birds". Concord Museum. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
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Category:Massachusetts Audubon Society Category:Lincoln, Massachusetts Category:Museums in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Category:Art museums in Massachusetts Category:Parks in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Category:Institutions accredited by the American Alliance of Museums Category:American bird artists