Marvels at Mac follows a student’s point of view, exploring campus and uncovering some of the super-cool places that students might not know about.
The McMaster Museum of Art is truly a work of art in itself. The museum features five gallery spaces over two levels, each outfitted with amazing paintings and sculptures that entice viewers to come in and look at them. The museum also creates such a calm and relaxing ambiance that it feels as if you shouldn’t speak in a pitch higher than a whisper, so it’s a great getaway if you want some quiet time surrounded by magnificent pieces of artwork.
The museum manages McMaster’s impressive collection of over three thousand art pieces, preserved in climate-controlled conditions. It also provides programs and exhibitions throughout the school year to the McMaster community.
The museum’s various exhibitions take place for a few months before changing, so there’s always new artwork being displayed for spectators to see, with upwards of about 10 exhibitions a year.
On the second level of the galleries, the museum has an area named Antiquities. It showcases ancient relics which is extremely cool. If you happen to visit today, they are currently displaying ancient coins from Rome and Greece in pristine condition even after millennia.
McMaster started its art collection before moving to Hamilton from Bloor Street in Toronto in 1930. When the university relocated it started having exhibitions in Mills Memorial Library. The entire art collection continued to grow and in 1967, McMaster opened a dedicated space as a gallery for the artwork in Togo Salmon Hall, before it moved to its current home in the heart of campus in 1994.
Fun Fact: Admission is free!
The Museum offers fun programs to community members and students, 15-minute art tours every Wednesday starting Sept. 14 and free self-guided sketching on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., starting Sept. 8. The museum also offers audio architecture tours and sculpture tours of campus if you scan the QR code at the front of the building.
At the end of the school year, the museum also hosts the university BFA graduation exhibition, named SUMMA, where graduating students of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program showcase their artwork to the McMaster community.
The Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (7 p.m. on Thursdays).
Visit museum.mcmaster.ca and follow @macmuseum on Instagram/Twitter for updates on the upcoming exhibitions and programs throughout the school year!
