The Elvehjem (pronounced L-V-M) Gallery has a little bit of everything from Greek vases to modern paintings. As an art student I spent many hours here and am proud that it's part of the UW-Madison campus.
There are three floors to the gallery. The first holds changing exhibitions. Once a year the professors at Madison display their work - I was so excited to see their work. (And to see them sipping on cocktails on opening night.) The second floor contains Asian art, Ancient and European art from 1400 to the present. The third floor is American and European art from the 20th century with works from such artists as Marc Rothko, Richard Artschwagger, Joan Miro, Ed Paschke and Ray Yoshida.
I'm particularly fond of the Egyptian, Greek and Roman area. The ancient work goes back to 3rd centuries BC. There's many vases, glass, coins, water jugs, statues... It's just so amazing to see something like a water jug so ornately decorated. It was used for something so ordinary and it's beautiful.
Every Sunday the Elvehjem hosts a chamber music concert from September to mid-May. It's a joint venture between Wisconsin Public Radio and the UW School of Music. Various Wisconsin artists come here to perform and the music is broadcast throughout the state on public radio. There's seating for about 100 and is free.
There are various activities geared towards children throughout the year. They're aimed to help kids learn about art, culture and history through storytelling, poetry, music and dance demonstrations. They also offer interactive activities such as drawing, bead making, stenciling, face painting and so on.
Admission:
FREE
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday - Sunday 11am - 5pm
Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve + Day, and New Year's Day
www.lvm.wisc.edu
608.263.2246