ART ǀ IOWA INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

Museum Collections Game

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ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

How to Play

The Museum Collections Game explores the similarities and differences between the collection practices of the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History (UIMNH) and the University of Iowa Museum of Art (UIMA).

In the game, players will have to choose if an object is part of the UIMNH’s collection or the UIMA’s collection

by clicking on the corresponding blue buttons.

The following screens display a summary of the UIMNH’s collection policy and the UIMA’s collection policy

to help players make informed selections.

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

Select to go to:

The MNH on

Collecting Previous Page

UIMNH on Collecting

The role of the Museum of Natural History is correspondent to that of the University’s overall mission of teaching, research, and public service. To meet the needs of the general public and the various natural science departments of the University, the Museum of Natural History provides a repository and the proper care for animal specimens and cultural objects which come to the University either by gift or through the efforts of its own faculty collectors. These collections, with primary emphasis on Iowa, the Midwest region, and North America, are representative of the disciplines of biology, geology, and anthropology, and are used for research and teaching by University faculty and students as well as for public exhibition and interpretation.

The scope of the Museum’s collections varies with the activities, research, and curriculum needs of associated University departments. Although the primary emphasis is on Iowa, the Upper Midwest, and North America, the collections can be local to worldwide in area of origin and can be specific to synoptic in subject matter, reflecting present and past priorities and activities of Museum and associated departmental faculty and staff. Each curator has the right and the responsibility to decide what objects and specimens should or should not be acquired by his/her repository section. No object will be accessioned unless the responsible curator is reasonably satisfied that the object has not been stolen, the object was acquired legally in accordance with the laws of its country of origin, the object was legally exported from its country of origin and legally imported into the United States, and the circumstances of recovery of the object did not involve any unscientific or intentional destruction of a natural area or archeological site either in the United States or elsewhere.

Select to go to:

The UIMA on

Collecting Previous Page

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

START GAME

UIMA on Collecting

The University of Iowa Museum of Art seeks to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art, acquiring art of high aesthetic quality that both builds on its established collecting patterns and has educational value for its constituencies. The Collections Policy, adopted in 2006, states that the Museum Permanent Collection includes various types of art from a number of cultures and that the Museum seeks to expand and improve its collections in the following six areas: European and American Art since 1900, Ancient American Art and Art of Native Americans, African Art, Works on Paper, Ceramics, and Metalwork. The policy goes on to define the process for accessioning works of art into the Permanent Collection. For example, the process may only be initiated by appropriate professional Museum staff. No other UI units or administrators are authorized to accept work for the Museum Permanent Collection for any purpose. The Museum Director will review the facts and circumstances and may present proposed acquisitions to the Museum Collections Committee (appointed by the Museum Director), Advisory Board, and/or UI Provost for their advice. In addition, the Museum Director will discuss proposed purchases over a certain cost with these groups and individuals.

Previous Page

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

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UIMA

Select

UIMNH

WHICH MUSEUM HAS THIS OBJECT IN ITS COLLECTION?

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

WHICH MUSEUM HAS THIS OBJECT IN ITS COLLECTION?

Select

UIMA

Select

UIMNH

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

WHICH MUSEUM HAS THIS OBJECT IN ITS COLLECTION?

Select

UIMA

Select

UIMNH

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

WHICH MUSEUM HAS THIS OBJECT IN ITS COLLECTION?

Select

UIMA

Select

UIMNH

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

Front Back

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

WHICH MUSEUM HAS THIS OBJECT IN ITS COLLECTION? Select

UIMA

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UIMNH

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

WHICH MUSEUM HAS THIS OBJECT IN ITS COLLECTION?

Select

UIMA

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UIMNH

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

Next Object

ANSWER:

This object is in the collection of the

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Collected by UIMNH Director Walter C. Thietje in May 1954, and prepared as a mounted, lifelike specimen. The specimen was included in a UIMNH exhibit of goldfinches feeding on a window sill, from 1961 to 1971.

Link to more information:

http://www.uiowa.edu/mnh/researchcollections.html

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

ANSWER:

This object is in the collection of the

University of Iowa Museum of Art

Grant Wood (American, 1892–1942)

Plaid Sweater, 1931

29 1/2 x 24 1/8 in (74.9 x 61.3 cm)

Gift of Mel R. and Carole Blumberg and Family, and Edwin B. Green through the University of Iowa Foundation, 1984.56

This portrait of Cedar Rapids, IA, native Mel Blumberg was painted in 1931 by American regionalist artist, and former University of Iowa Professor of Art, Grant Wood. Fifty-three years later, Mel Blumberg donated his boyhood portrait to the UIMA. American art from 1900–1970 is one of the major collecting areas of the UIMA.

Link to more information:

http://uima.uiowa.edu/grant-wood/

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

Next Object

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

ANSWER:

This object is in the collection of the

University of Iowa Museum of Art

Bunny A. McBride (American, born 1938)

Untitled (lidded vessel), c. 1990

5 1/2 x 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 in (14 x 21.6 x 21.6 cm)

Gift of Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret, 2006.13a,b

Bunny McBride is a Professor Emeritus of the University of Iowa and a former head of the UI School of Art and Art History Ceramics Department. He began teaching at the University of Iowa in 1970. McBride’s work is of a high aesthetic quality, durable, and functional. Ceramics is one of the UIMA’s major collecting areas.

Link to more information:

http://uima.uiowa.edu/bunny-a-mcbride/

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

Next Object

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

ANSWER:

This object is in the collection of the

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Philippine Basket, c. 1904 Palm leaf, nito fiber, 4.72” H x 6” W Bugason, Antique Province, Panay Island, Western Visayas, Philippines

Charles Cleveland Nutting, head of the Department of Systematic Zoology and Museum director from 1889 to 1926, collected this object. Nutting acquired this object and many others that had been exhibited at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. He planned the UIMNH’s current building, with exhibits in the center and related departments all around. He also undertook many research expeditions all over the world and was a world-renowned expert on hydroids, a field in which he described hundreds of new species.

Link to more information:

http://www.uiowa.edu/mnh/researchcollections.html

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

Next Object

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

ANSWER:

This object is in the collection of the

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Meskwaki Beaded Vest

Fred Armstrong Soleman Collection

Beaded suits consisting of a vest, aprons, and leggings are rare in modern collections. The suit would typically be worn on special occasions with an otter skin cap, beaded garters and sashes, a beaded shoulder bag, necklace, and beaded leather moccasins.

Betty S. Webber and Catherine S. Chandler, of Downers Grove, IL, donated this vest in 1983 for display in Iowa Hall. The vest was originally collected in Tama, Iowa, by Fred Armstrong Soleman, who was the donors’ father and a UI graduate.

Link to more information:

http://www.uiowa.edu/mnh/researchcollections.html

Front

Back

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

Next Object

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

ANSWER: This object is in the collection of the University of Iowa Museum of Art Lansana Ngumoi Sierra Leone; Gola peoples Sowei (Sande society mask) Wood, fiber, metal, leather, horn Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization and Mary Jo and Richard H. Stanley, 2006.34

Betty and Max Stanley, with the guidance of the University of Iowa Museum of Art and the School of Art and Art History, developed a world -class collection of African art during the 1970s. Besides the aesthetic quality, African art is valued if an artist made the work for religious and ceremonial purposes. The Stanleys set the foundation for the UIMA’s world-class collection of African Art with their donation. Mary Jo and Richard Stanley further developed the UIMA’s African Art collection, including the addition of Sowei. Link to more information: http://uima.uiowa.edu/sande-mask/

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

End Game

ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS GAME

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ART ǀ IOWA: INSPIRED BY LANDSCAPE

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