Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

This isn’t a large museum but it sets a great example of a good design geared to the visitor experience. The main level galleries allow diffused light into their spaces. The paintings and sculpture in one gallery were of much higher quality than I expected. The daylight made them all look so much more powerful.
Another cavernous gallery was devoted to a temporary exhibition of Sam Durant’s ‘Proposal for White and Indian Dead Monument Transpositions, Washington DC’.
A gallery upstairs doesn’t share the exposure to daylight but it’s lighted well and the works on display are just as impressive.
If it all ended here, I’d say it’s all wonderful and end this review. However, there are proverbial bones in the attic or, in this case, the basement. There’s a small money museum downstairs that by itself is not the problem. A seated animatronic Ben Franklin speaks to visitors upon entering the space. His face glows bright green and there’s your problem right there: good old Ben looks like he’s been zapped by nuclear radiation. Creepy. I couldn’t have imagined this experience in an art museum if I had tried.

Another exhibit which was installed there was one that I’m not particularly thrilled about because of it’s name: Sam Durant Proposal for White and Indian Dead Monument Transpositions, Washington, D.C. This exhibit closed on April 13 and I thought, good riddance.
First of all, my problem with it was part of the name: White and Indian Dead. As someone who is Native American, I would rather not have myself and my ancestors referred to by being called Indian; my ancestors did not come from Asia much less India, so I am not Indian; I am Native American. Many people who are Native American still call themselves «Indian» and use the terms interchangeably, but I do not.
All of the sculptures in this exhibit are scaled down models of different memorial monuments through out the country where different acts of aggression and «war» occurred by European and Native American peoples. I believe that those lost Native American lives that were lost due to genocidal acts need to be memorialized as well as those Anglo people who died despite what they did, but this proposal bothers me. I believe that it’s politically incorrect in many ways despite what they are trying to memorialize.
Artistically, it was outright boring; all the memorial replicas are painted dark gray and are very stark in their appearance; it’s very unappealing. I have seen exhibits which were worse than this, but I just thought it was completely unappealing on all levels. If this has piqued your interest, it’s too late because this exhibit closed on April 13^th. It’s gone. I’m glad it’s gone.
My star ratings each time that I post an update is the rating that I am giving the specific exhibit, not the museum itself. The museum itself is 5 stars, and I love it.

First visit today… Hidden GEM!!! Really enjoyed the experience. Will definitely go back.

This museum is fantastic.
The exhibitions are interesting and they’re always changing, so you could come in one day and realize that the entire interior architecture has altered just to showcase new pieces! There was a contemporary video installation, a space-​graffiti artist, 19^th century American landscapes, and modern Japanese design in the couple months I’ve been familiar with Kemper.
And that’s not including the permanent collection, which has Picasso, de Kooning, Warhol, Rosenquist, Wesselmann…
The staff are very helpful and extraordinarily knowledgeable, too. There are lectures and events pretty frequently, at least once a week, so there’s always something to check out. Very dynamic space.

If there’s one thing people in St. Louis love, it’s free stuff. And by that I mean, cultural things, museum-​y things, a day out on the town type things. Don’t believe me? Mosey over to the St. Louis Zoo reviews and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
In that spirit, I think you can safely file this museum under «Everybody loves it ’cause it’s free!» Is it a nice, little museum? Yes. Is it free. Absolutely! Is it anything more than that? Ehhh… not so much.
My favorite part was the currency museum in the basement. The 2^nd floor permanent collection has a few nice pieces. The ground floor exhibit changes, and I would definitely come back again to see something new.
It is free, after all.

I love this place. They have a beautiful exhibition going on right now (Until January 7^th 2013) called «Design with the Other 90%: CITIES.»
The main exhibition room is set up beautifully, though the map table in the middle feels a bit unused/​ill-​conceived.
The upstairs painting exhibition is full of some nicely chosen pieces. (And some other not-​so-​nicely chosen pieces.)
The basement is this super-​weird Money Museum. Don’t go down there. And definitely don’t walk in front of the animatronic/​projection Jefferson while you’re there.

The Kemper is an excellent student-​manned museum on the Wash U campus. It has an outstanding permanent collection featuring, Rembrandt, Picasso, Pollack, Braque, DeKooning and other very interesting pieces. Please be sure and head upstairs to see these if you go. I’m not sure if some of these permanent pieces rotate, but based on what I saw Saturday, the replacements will surely be worthy.
The current featured exhibit of Stezaker photographs was very interesting, sometime beautiful, sometimes funny and, okay, sometimes gimmicky and unnecessary, but that’s only my opinion.
If you’re any kind of art lover, you’ll want to get down and see the permanent collection here. If you have a few hundred thousand sitting around, I’m sure they’d be happy to take a donation. Don’t bring that much cash, though.

Very cool arty space that is small enough to cover in two hours.

I wasn’t very impressed with this museum. However, that’s probably because I don’t care much for modern art. This museum is very focused on modern art (1950s through today.)
Also, parking is kind of crappy – I was able to park in the lot, as it was on the weekend, and they told me I wouldn’t get ticketed, but normally, I think I would have had to pay for parking. (Otherwise, it’s a free museum.)
I kind of thought that Wash U would have had a better art museum, as it is one of the better schools out there.
I believe the most impressive and interesting part of the museum was the money museum in the basement. Some of the forgeries, misprints, mis-​stampings, and money history on display was very interesting. Though I agree with some of the other reviewers, the hologram /​projector Benjamin Franklin is super creepy.

Kemper is small. You can check out everything in less than an hour (even less for me as I don’t go back to the permanent collections every time I visit). Nonetheless, I normally find something interesting/​inspiring in every exhibit. I love the use of space here… artworks are not crowded or spaced out too far in a pretentious manner.
As far as how it compares with other art museums and galleries in town, I agree with Dean that Pulitzer puts on some yawn-​inducing shows. I do like the Contemporary, but it’s quite far from me and those who live in the county. The Sheldon concert hall has some fantastic rotating exhibits but the viewing atmosphere is quite lacking.
Currently, the Kemper has some very fascinating pieces by Tomás Saraceno on display until January 9^th. You can even enter one of these structures…
So next time you are in the Forest Park/​Wash U campus vicinity, check out the Kemper! AND it’s free!

Hidden gem alert!
Okay, I’m not an art museum kind of girl. Why? Because, beyond making me bored, they make me feel stupid. Ya know that whole my-eight-year-old-neice-drew-a-better-picture-than-that-and-it’s-hanging-on-my-fridge feeling? Yes, I’m uncultured. Enter: MLK Art Museum!
Yes, I still felt like an imposter here. I always feel a little weird when I’m on Wash U’s campus (or talking to people who go/​went to Wash U, for that matter). But for some reason, this museum was just a fun time. Sure, they had some stuff that I was like, wow, that’s art? But a lot of the stuff in there were real head-​scratchers, and I left feeling giggly, inspired, and intrigued. There was one exhibit in there that I literally wanted to steal and install at my place. If that doesn’t say awesome art, I don’t know what does. And I really didn’t feel like I was on a college campus when I was in here. This place really feels not only like it’s a part of Wash U, but that it is a part of SAINT LOUIS, ya know? Don’t know if that makes sense…
The piece-​de-​resistence was the staff, actually. So nice, unpretentious, passionate, and helpful.
I can’t really write a review better than a few that have already been written about this place, but I really just encourage you to go. It is FREE. Free is the best word in the English language, and the fact that it is associated with such an amazing place as this?! Take a night off of watching Jackass sequels and enjoy something new for a change.
Also, this would be an amazing event venue… Just sayin’.

VERY nice museum. Rotating exhibits on the ground floors, with their permanent collection on the top floor and their money museum (where a motion-​activated, CREEPY Ben Franklin with a hologram head resides!) are nice and interesting for a university-​owned museum. The rotating exhibits, upon first visit, may make you ask, «This is art?!» But in reality, those are always the installations that I think about for weeks to months after the first visit. I have little revelations every time I think about it. That’s the great thing about Kemper that stands it apart from any of the art galleries in St. Louis; it usually isn’t always IN the museum when you discover the secrets and meaning behind what the artists intended. Oprah calls these her «AHA!» moments. I call them my «HOLY F**KBALLS!» moments. lol
And did I mention these revelations are FREE?!

WU’s first real museum as opposed to being a university collection gallery. They are very big on all things German here.

Not sure if many folks knew this, but Kemper Art Museum has free concerts on Fridays in March and April. Free to the general public, not just free for students! With FREE beer and wine (within reason, ’cause it’s not a house party or anything). And all of the bands featured are local acts.
While the show is going on, come check out some of the coolest exhibits here in St. Louis. As Dean and Emily mentioned, the size of the museum and the amount of art they feature is «just right». Kind of like the Goldilocks of art museums :) My favorite feature is the giant silver pendulum that is smack dab in the middle of the structure. They let the students swing it back and forth from time-​to-​time.
The best thing about Kemper Lane Art Museum is the staff who runs it –mostly students but there is definitely adult supervision. They are professional, but not unapproachable and there’s a friendly vibe througout. I think it’s great that undergrads are trained how to manage a museum and behave professionally. They dress appropriately, take their job seriously, and you don’t see them visiting with friends while on-​duty.
If you haven’t been here already, come check it out on a nice spring afternoon/​evening. You won’t regret it!

The best art exhibitions in St. Louis. Where do you find them? The St. Louis Art Museum? Yawn. The Contemporary? Nah. The Pulitzer? Maybe if I need a nap. No my friends, the best art exhibitions in St. Louis are in none other than the Mildred Lane Kemper Museum at Wash U.
First off, the size of the galleries is perfect. Not too big, not too small, unlike the warehouse-​like structures of the Contemporary or the sometimes crackerjack size of SLAM. They give you room to breathe, to walk around, to experience the art.
Second are the exhibitions themselves. Because of Wash U’s massive (and relevant) collection of art, they self-​curate a large number of exhibits. Lesser institutions wouldn’t be able to pull it off, but with their collection and an eager (and free!) labor pool of students, nearly every exhibition is pulled off wonderfully and flawlessly.
They seem to do the little things very well, and make the exhibit more of an experience than simply staring at the wall. When I go to exhibitions I always think one of two things. Either «Where can I get more info about this work/​artist?», or «Stop giving me so much useless info about this work/​artist!». It’s a fine line, and the Kemper walks it very well. Each exhibition gives just enough info to satisfy, but doesn’t overwhelm you with background information.
They’re also one of the few places in town (along with the Contemporary, sometimes) that make it a point to incorporate audio and video into their exhibitions on a consistent basis. As a result, going to the museum doesn’t feel stuffy. It feels like a trip, like you can take a break and be entertained in between looking at the art on the walls. It’s a comforting feeling, and keeps me there longer than I would normally plan.
The exhibition galleries are on the main floor, and the permanent collection is upstairs, in a much smaller space. It is small but has a lot of highlights, including important works from Dali and Picasso, as well as more contemporary artists like Jenny Holzer, Robert Rauchenberg, and Tom Wesselmann.
All in all, it’s a delightful free museum, and provides a great service to the art community of St. Louis. It’s located only about 5 minutes from the St. Louis Art Museum, so anyone visiting one can easily go to the other and have a full day of free art.

It seems that a lot of people in St. Louis don’t know about this museum. They are missing out! I’ve been to three exhibits here now: All involved some aspect of «mid-​century modern» art, design, or architecture, which I love, and the exhibits flowed well. I believe they have 2 special exhibits per year, and during the summer they show the MFA students’ thesis projects. Upstairs they have a small but notable permanent collection. The «money museum» in the basement is pretty random and skippable. They are open late on Friday nights (perfect for date night!) and sometimes have live music on Fridays too. Best of all, the museum is free! (parking is free and easy too!)