Mingei International Museum
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Mingei International Museum
Outdoor artwork in the museum's courtyard
Backstory and Context
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Founded in 1974, the museum formally opened its doors in 1978, thanks to the efforts of Martha Longenecker, an accomplished ceramics artist and professor at San Diego State University. After founding the museum, she served as its director from 1978 to 2005. She passed away in 2013.
It was during Martha's travels to Japan in the 1950s to study Japanese ceramics that she became acquainted with and learned from the founders of the Mingei Association. Her studies there inspired her to create the museum. In 1996, the museum moved from its original location at the University Town Center to its current home in Balboa Park.
Today, the museum boasts six expansive exhibit rooms. The truly eclectic collections of everyday ephemera from countless cultures capture the imagination and provide a provocative exploration of the depths of human creativity. From mid century modern furniture to African beadwork to Asian pottery and countless points between, the Mingei International Museum will not disappoint.
Sources
"History of Mingei," Mingei International Museum, accessed June 1, 2015, http://www.mingei.org/about/history-of-mingei