Anacostia, since renamed the Anacostia Community Museum, was the first federally funded museum focused on Black history, as well as the first federally funded community museum; it is still the only Smithsonian to archive and document daily life in the nation’s capital. - The Atlantic
Much of the public debate around the arch has centered on how it would affect other nearby memorials, particularly the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. - Washington Post
This component of a long-running plan for the site adds two galleries and 114,00 square feet (10,590 square metres) of space for a recent major gift and the subsequent reinterpretation of its collection. The museum's footprint has expanded by half since its opening in 2011. - Dezeen
The 17,000-square-foot mural, one of artist Robert Wyland’s popular “Whaling Wall” series, had been on view in downtown Dallas since 1999. Wyland is suing international soccer's governing body and the building’s owners for $25 million under the federal Visual Artist Rights Act, saying the mural was covered without his knowledge or consent. - AP
Last December, thieves stole 13 prints, including eight by Matisse, from the Biblioteca Mario de Andrade in São Paulo. Two suspects accused of the robbery itself were identified soon afterward; police have now named the alleged ringleader, who is currently in prison on other charges and has a considerable criminal history. - ArtReview
In fact, the missing glands on the bovine in this 19th-century floor mosaic had been gouged out by excessive tourist traffic some time ago, and the restorers (and the landlord) declined to replace them. Here’s why. - Smithsonian Magazine
The theft of the fruit from the jokester artist’s piece Comedian happened this past Saturday at the Pompidou Center’s outpost in Metz, France; the duct tape was left behind. No suspect has yet been identified, and museum staff promptly replaced the banana. - ARTnews
A new book makes the case that when it comes to evolving forms and styles in American architecture, a new generation of firms is drawing inspiration from not just place and local architectural heritage, but the place a building like the Girls Inc. Youth Farm will play in the community. - Fast Company
“Rather than an exit point, this new wave of merchandising is quickly turning museum gift shops into a desirable entry point. Curated edits ... are now beginning to treat them as a stand-alone shopping destination, marking a shift from cultural institution to cultural retailer.” - The Guardian (UK)
“For years, illustrators have been overlooked, seen as people who come in and do the decorating after the house has been built. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.” - The Guardian (UK)
Latchford’s success depended not just on criminal networks that supplied and transported these objects, but on the willingness of museums, dealers, collectors, and scholars to accept fragmented or problematic provenance so long as the objects themselves retained the aura of rarity and beauty. - Hyperallergic
Gehry Partners will design a variety of upgrades to the Getty Center — including a major revamp of its entry experience — during its upcoming year-long closure, the museum announced Thursday. - Los Angeles Times
“What, exactly, defines America? It’s a question that’s been asked for more than two centuries, and it’s unlikely to be conclusively answered anytime soon. But, with the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding fast approaching, we took the occasion to hash out a response to that query, using art as a guide.” - ARTnews
