Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art
 Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art is located on the east bank of the Aura river. | |
| Established | 1967 |
|---|---|
| Location | east bank of the Aura river |
| Visitors | 27 143 |
| Director | Mr Olli Immonen |
| Website | Official website |
Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art (Finnish: Wäinö Aaltosen museo, Swedish: Wäinö Aaltonens museum) or WAM for short, is an art museum in central Turku, Finland dedicated especially to modern art. The museum is located on the east bank of the Aura River. The permanent exhibition is based on the art collection of City of Turku, which includes a large collection of works by Finnish artist and sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen. Temporary exhibitions focus on Finnish and international modern art.
Museum building
In March 1964, the City Council of Turku approved the proposal to establish a museum dedicated to Wäinö Aaltonen, and Aaltonen himself signed an agreement donating a basic collection to the proposed museum. Construction started in October 1965. The drawings for the modernist building was made by Wäinö Aaltonen's son Matti Aaltonen and his wife Irma Aaltonen, but Wäinö Aaltonen himself also played an active part in the planning. The Museum was officially opened on 17 September 1967.
The exhibition rooms of WAM have been designed to fully meet modern requirements. The architecture of the rooms is clean and well lit; natural light is generously provided through wide windows and numerous skylights. Inside the museum there is also a cafeteria and a shop.
Collection
The permanent exhibition of WAM is based on the art collection of the City of Turku, which includes a large collection of works by Finnish artist and sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen. The Turku City Art Collection is supplemented by varied and quality art acquisitions done with an annual grant. The amount of acquisitions varies, but on average, during the 21st century, approximately 60 new works of art have been acquired annually. The art is purchased from exhibitions, directly from artists, and sometimes from private people as well. On some special occasions, commission art is acquired from artists or artist groups by using the collection's investment funds. The focuses of the Turku City Art Collection are on the art of Turku area, the art of Wäinö Aaltonen, and on three-dimensional art.
Art acquisitions and donations are decided on by the Museum Director and the Curator responsible for the collection. A final protocol of the Museum Director or a board proposition is prepared of every work of art that is acquired or made part of the collection, and they have to be approved by the Cultural Board.
See also
External links
Coordinates: 60°26′42″N 22°15′37″E / 60.44500°N 22.26028°E