Located on Lindell Boulevard, the Saint Louis University Museum of Art (SLUMA) houses an impressive collection of both permanent and traveling art exhibitions. The art collections are divided among four floors; the first floor is used for temporary exhibitions. The current exhibit is called “Keen Vision: The Gary C. Werths Collection,” which can be viewed until July 16, 2006. An upcoming exhibit, “Legacy: Abraham Lincoln in the Presidential Years,” will be on display this fall.
The second floor displays both Modern and Contemporary Art. It also features the Cartier House and holds items donated to the University by the well-known jewelers of Paris and New York. Another floor up, you will find the collection of the western Jesuit missions. The fourth floor houses the John and Ann MacLennan collection of Asian decorative arts. Hundreds of jade and ivory artifacts, highlighting the cultures of China and Japan, make up the collection.
SLUMA is more than just a housing for art; the building itself has a unique history. In 1900, the building opened as the St. Louis Club, the most prominent club of its type in St. Louis. Seven United States presidents-Cleveland, McKinley, Taft, Roosevelt, Wilson, Harding and Hoover-were entertained at the building, and three spent the night.
In 1983, Francis E. O’Donnell, M.D., purchased the building and then donated it to the University in 1992, when it was used for the Graduate School and School of Public Health.
After a two-year renovation project, the building reopened in 2002 as the Saint Louis University Museum of Art. The building, like the Cupples House, is designated as a historical landmark. The SLUMA business manager, Heather Mann, said that the daily average of guests ranges from about 15 to 20 people.
You can tour the museum for free Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.