_{The Broad museum on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles}

_{Image Credit: Iwan Baan courtesy of The Broad and Diller Scofidio + Renfro}

 

The Broad Contemporary Art Museum in Los Angeles is in its first year, and they have already made a national impact. Collectors and philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad created this museum to showcase their collection, and have decided that the museum will offer free, general admission.

This museum is a continuation of the Broad family’s foundation, with the initiative to increase access to art for the community. Created in 1984, The Broad Art Foundation is a pioneer lending library to increase access to contemporary art from all over the world.

_{The Broad museum on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles}

_{Image Credit: Iwan Baan, courtesy of The Broad and Diller Scofidio + Renfro}

 

The new museum is 120,000 square feet with two floors of gallery space that is open to the public.

The Broad family has focused on collecting contemporary art under the idea that the greatest art collections are built when art is being made. That being said, they have been collecting for more than 30 years, and their collection started with a post-impressionist, well known for his influence on the 20th century: Van Gogh.

Their extensive collection, of more than 2,000 works, is the source for the foundation’s loans. The borrowing foundation takes care of all packing, shipping, and insurance responsibilities during the exhibitions of the works. The organization has made more than 8,000 loans to more than 500 international museums and galleries.

_{Installation of three works by Roy Lichtenstein in The Broad's third-floor galleries}

_{Image Credit: Bruce Damonte, courtesy of The Broad and Diller Scofidio + Renfro}

 

The inaugural installation, managed by Founding Director Joanne Heyler, features works by Jean‐Michel Basquiat, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Longo, and Glenn Ligon.

Building a museum to display your collection is an effective strategy to display your art to the public without abiding by museum guidelines. Generally, donating to a museum involves conceding any preferences of your artwork’s display. If you’re interested in donating your art to a museum, you can learn more about that here.

Either way, as a collector you have a power to influence and nourish your community’s art education, or even the world’s. It’s easy to forget that your precious works can be shared, when they fit so nicely in your living room. Using your collection, whether it be through museum donations, educating the public, or creating a museum is a great way to give back.

To visit the Broad and see the current exhibits, it’s best to make a reservation which you can do here.