Sugar Hill Children's Museum

Sugar Hill Children's Museum, officially the Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling, is a children's museum located in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Upper Manhattan. The building, which also includes a pre school and affordable housing under the auspices of Broadway Housing Communities, is known as the Sugar Hill Development,[1] and is located at 155th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.[2] The museum was designed by David Adjaye and opened in September 2015.[3]

Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling
Former name
Sugar Hill Children's Museum
Established2015
LocationNew York, New York, United States
TypeChildren's Museum
AccreditationAmerican Alliance of Museums
FounderEllen Baxter
DirectorRob Fields
PresidentNeil A. Bhargava
ArchitectDavid Adjaye
Websitehttps://www.sugarhillmuseum.org/

The museum is targeted to children between the ages of three and eight given the impact that arts education has on that age group and focuses on underserved children who might not be reached by traditional art outreach.[1][4]

History

The museum broke ground in 2012 and was originally slated to be called the Faith Ringgold Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling in honor of the artist Faith Ringgold and her 9/11 Quilt, however she withdrew her support following concerns about the operation as a museum and security for the art.[5][6] Rob Fields began as the museum's director in September 2021 following Lauren Kelley and Suzy Delvalle who had led the museum from its inception.[7][8]

Since opening, it has shown the works of Derek Fordjour, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Shani Peters and more.[9][1][10] In addition to its exhibits, the museum has become known for its role in the social and racial justice protests that followed the murder of George Floyd and recognition of the neighborhood's role in civil rights protests.[11][12][13]

Architecture

When designing the building in a historic part of Harlem, David Adjaye sought to revitalize the community and combat poverty by bringing together affordable housing, a preschool, and a cultural institution. The museum itself occupies 17,000 square feet at the base of the 13-story building.[14]

Artists in Residence

The museum hosts an annual artist in residence program. Previous artists in residence include David Shrobe, Derek Fordjour, Leslie Jimenez, Damien Davis, Lina Puerta, and Dionis Ortiz.[15]

References
  1. Cascone, Sarah (2017-12-18). "How Artist Derek Fordjour Turned Cardboard and Newspaper Into a Carnival Funhouse". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  2. Haynes, Emily (2019-12-03). "Connecting Arts and Education to Help People Climb Out of Poverty". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  3. Mark, Laura (2015-09-30). "Adjaye's Harlem children's museum opens". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  4. Graeber, Laurel (2018-10-25). "Sugar Hill Museum Brings Art to New York's Youngest (and Poorest)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  5. Pogrebin, Robin (2012-02-12). "An Artist Ends Ties to Museum in Harlem". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  6. Mays, Jeff (2012-07-19). "Children's Museum and Affordable Housing Complex Breaks Ground". DNAinfo. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  7. Durón, Maximilíano (2017-06-05). "Sugar Hill Children's Museum Names Lauren Kelley Executive Director". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  8. Valentine, Victoria L. "Latest News in Black Art: David Shrobe Joins Monique Meloche, Sandra Mujinga Wins Top German Art Prize, Jeremy O. Harris and Arthur Jafa Named New Museum Visionaries, Rob Fields Leads Sugar Hill Museum & More". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  9. Rodney, Seph (2017-11-22). "A Dreamy Carnival at the Children's Museum in Harlem". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  10. Wickes, Melissa. "Kids Combine Creativity and Culture in Creating Sugar Hill Children's Museum Exhibit". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  11. Patterson, Monica Eileen (2020-09-18). "Children's Museology and the COVID-19 Crisis". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  12. Zara, Janelle (2020-08-18). "How Artists Are Using Plywood as a Canvas for Protest". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  13. Graeber, Laurel (2020-06-18). "Digital Field Trips: Museum Adventures Abound for Kids". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  14. "David Adjaye's Sugar Hill Development: A New Typology for Affordable Housing". ArchDaily. 2014-06-11. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  15. "Artist-In-Residence Program". Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling. Retrieved 2022-03-15.

40°49′49.6″N 73°56′28.2″W

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