The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) celebrated the opening of the new Crow Museum of Asian Art on Sept. 25, 2024, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held the day prior. The museum, located at 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, is now welcoming visitors from Tuesdays to Sundays, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Designed by Morphosis, the firm behind the Perot Museum, the new museum features a temporary exhibition with approximately 250 recently acquired objects from the Montgomery collection. This significant acquisition, which adds to a total of about 1,100 pieces in the collection, led to an expansion of the museum’s offerings. Additional artworks from this collection are expected to arrive from Switzerland soon.
The Crow Museum aims to complement its downtown counterpart by providing the North Texas community an opportunity to engage with its diverse collection.
“Many people in this area or coming to visit us haven’t been to the downtown location yet. This will all be new to them,” said Caroline Kim, director of development of the Crow Museum, during our visit to the museum.
The goal for the first year is to keep a substantial number of works on view, facilitating familiarity among visitors while also allowing for smaller rotations of the collection. This strategy will enable the downtown location to focus on new temporary exhibitions, enhancing the visibility of Asian and Asian American artists within the modern and contemporary art landscape.
The opening of the Crow Museum coincides with UTD’s broader commitment to integrating the arts with its traditionally STEM-focused curriculum. The museum is part of the 12-acre Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum, a new arts and performance district on its Richardson campus. The O'Donnell Athenaeum is envisioned as a bridge connecting these disciplines.
"It takes creativity and innovation to be an engineer, and meticulous detail to be an artist," said Kim, emphasizing the intertwined nature of math, science and the arts.
As the museum enhances its engagement with the North Texas community, it has already hosted student performers and various receptions in its inaugural week. UTD is also undergoing significant campus growth, with plans for new buildings, including a parking garage to facilitate access. According to Kim, “There are six or seven buildings being constructed on campus right now — It's an exciting time to be here.”
Admission to the new Crow Museum and the exhibition remains free, allowing the university to continue its mission of making art accessible. “That’s really our goal — to continue offering free access as long as possible,” added Kim.
Thank you The Crow Museum of Asian Art and Caroline Kim for hosting us.
To learn more about the Crow Museum visit its official website, here.
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