Night at the Contemporary Museum

Last night, we went to the St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum’s Front Room Happy Hour, which is a complimentary happy hour with free admission into the museum the first Thursday of every month.  While the happy hour itself wasn’t as entertaining as I’d hoped, it was a good opportunity to walk around the building and see the latest exhibit, as it had been a couple years since I was last there.  

The museum, one of the few examples of contemporary architecture in St. Louis, is located in the arts district called Grand Center.  The Pulitzer Foundation of the Arts, another prominent contemporary building, sits adjacent to the Contemporary, sharing a large courtyard displaying a custom work by Richard Serra.  

The Pulitzer by Tadao Ando is a unique building defined by incredibly smooth concrete planes and contrasting glass.  From the street, the museum looks like a fortress, but inside it feels open and light.  It is clear that the building focuses inwards on the art and the interaction between light and space.

Photos from minimalismic

The Contemporary’s design seems to reference the Pulitzer in its sleek minimalism.  It, too, consists primarily of concrete and glass, but it distinguishes itself from its neighbor by incorporating a mesh skin.

This subtle material change adds texture and depth to an otherwise stark design.  

If you live in the St. Louis area or are planning a trip here, be sure to make a stop at the Pulitzer and Contemporary museums!