First Expansion:
The Gallery at the Fine Arts Building
In 1956, when BJU constructed a new Fine Arts Building adjoining the Gallery,
the school devoted several of the new rooms to the display of the Gallery’s
paintings. All of the older gallery space, including the museum, was redecorated.
Period furniture was then added to the collection and displayed in conjunction
with the pictures. Russian icons from the collection of the last Tsarina,
Alexandra Feodorovna, were also displayed for the first time.
The
collection continued to grow. In fact, in 1962, just ten years after the Gallery
first opened, the catalog numbered 211 pictures, among which were two works
by Rubens, two by van Dyck, and one by Giordano. Visiting art critics and
historians were amazed by the rapid growth and quality of the collection.
Through gifts and acquisitions, the collection eventually filled nineteen
rooms and finally outgrew the Fine Arts Building entirely.
Second Expansion:
The Grand Re-Opening of the Museum & Gallery
After
several months of extensive renovation and redecoration, the University’s
former dining hall became the home of the Museum & Gallery. The new facility
opened on Thanksgiving Day, 1965. To celebrate, the Gallery organized a gala
banquet and invited local and state dignitaries, museum directors, art historians,
and internationally recognized dealers to attend. In connection with the opening,
six prominent museum directors spoke at a two-day symposium called “Culture
and the Visual Arts.” All of the speakers and most of the special guests
lavished praise on the Bob Jones Collection.
The
new facility contained thirty galleries, twenty-seven given to the display
of the permanent collection of religious art, one for the display of the James
Cole Collection of Ecclesiastical Textiles and Vestments, and two for special
exhibitions. Also included were a restoration work area, reception center,
and offices.
By 1968 the permanent collection had grown to nearly 350 works. By 1990 the collection included over four hundred works and was recognized as one of America's finest collections of Italian paintings.
Expansion Continues
In
thirty years, a small collection of paintings grew into one of the world’s
largest and most important university art collections. However, the Gallery’s
phenomenal development surprises no one who has ever witnessed God’s
miraculous power and blessing. Now, fifty years after its inauguration, the
collection comprises over 400 paintings by the Old Masters, nearly 200 pieces
of Gothic to nineteenth-century furniture, approximately 100 works of sculpture,
some 60 textiles, over 1,000 ancient Biblical artifacts, and approximately
130 miscellaneous items that range from stained glass windows to a Byzantine
baptistery.
The Greenville community has always been an important focus of the Museum & Gallery, and as the art collection has grown, the Gallery has been able to expand its community outreaches. In the past five years, the Gallery has added regular special events and programs to its traditional guided tours. Programs such as Kids Create!, special family tours, and the annual children’s Christmas Party reach out to children in the Upstate. For art educators, students, and the general public, M&G hosts tours, art exhibitions, lectures, Music with the Masters, and Antiques Extravaganza. Annual Living Gallery productions that combine drama, music, and “living” masterpieces with the Gospel message are open to all. M&G’s membership program, Friends of the Museum & Gallery, enables people in the community to financially support the Gallery and its outreaches.
In 1999, the entrance to the Museum & Gallery was remodeled to include a beautiful glass canopy and mirrored front doors. This facelift to the building's facade greets visiting patrons with a greater warmth and welcome.
With an extensive renovation in 2000, the previous space displaying antiquities was transformed to a spacious exhibition gallery, which transitions smoothly between displays, events, and exhibitions. Depending on the time of year, visitors can enjoy either portions of M&G's permanent collection, including the Bowen Collection of Antiquities and Greek and Russian icons, or visiting exhibitions. Its size allows children's activities and large events to take place with greater ease, and the well-crafted design of the displays and lighting enhances each patron's viewing experience.
M&G is currently seeking to expand the reach of its collection through restoration of the former Coca-Cola bottling plant in downtown Greenville's Heritage Green. This satellite gallery will house representative paintings from the core collection
on a rotational basis
and will be educational in its focus. Hands-on activities will aid students of all ages in enjoying the rich artistic value of diverse cultures. Located on the same plaza are the new Hughes Library, the Greenville Little Theatre, and the Greenville County Museum of Art. Also coming to the Heritage Green are the Upcountry History Museum and the Children's Museum.
