High Museum of Art

The High's $130-million, three-building expansion brought the museum to truly world-class status. The additions include more gallery space for the museum's permanent collection, enlarged special-exhibit space, a coffee bar, and a new retail shop. Not to be overshadowed, the original facility -- designed by architect Richard Meier and part of the Woodruff Arts Center complex -- is itself a work of art. A dazzling white-porcelain-tiled building with an equally pristine white interior, the museum houses four floors of galleries connected by semicircular pedestrian ramps girding a spacious, sun-filled four-story atrium.

The permanent collection here includes more than 10,000 pieces, among them a significant group of 19th- and 20th-century American paintings. Hudson River School artists such as Thomas Cole and Frederic Church are featured, as are Thomas Sully, John Singer Sargent, and William Harnett. The Virginia Carroll Crawford Collection of American Decorative Arts comprehensively documents trends in decorative arts from 1825 to 1917. The Samuel H. Kress Foundation collection includes Italian paintings and sculpture from the 14th through the 18th centuries. The Uhry Print Collection contains important works by French Impressionists and post-Impressionists, German expressionists, and 20th-century American artists. Also notable are collections of sub-Saharan African art, a folk-art collection, and works by noted 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographers.

In addition to the permanent collection, which is shown on a rotating basis, the museum hosts a number of major traveling exhibitions each year, complemented by films, lectures, workshops, gallery talks, concerts, and other events, including Friday Jazz, the third Friday of each month. Ask at the desk about special events during your visit. Free guided gallery tours of the High's permanent collection are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 1pm; free guided family tours are given every Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. Special headsets for audio guides are available for special exhibits.

The museum's wonderful gift shop boasts an impressive stock of books, prints, and interesting art-related objects. Since the opening of the contemporary Table 1280, the on-site restaurant, many now visit the High specifically for the food. It serves American-inspired fare as well as a delightful mix of small plates of seasonal ingredients, and the meal can be as memorable as the museum visit. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 2pm for lunch, Sunday from 11am to 2pm for brunch, and Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 10pm for dinner and tapas. The lounge remains open until midnight Tuesday through Saturday. Don't miss this experience.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Back to Top