NCMA in Raleigh or VMFA in Richmond? (friendly, stations)

[Tyler_Jolie-Pitt]

Which of the premier public art museums in the Southeast do you prefer?

[spencer114]

VMFA. I haven't been to NCMA since the expansion but I didn't care for the location or collection of the museum when I last visited (dated an employee of the museum). The addition does look fantastic in the photos that I've seen.

The VMFA has a nice central location. It is open 365 days a year and is free. It's also located beside the free Virginia Historical Society. The museum complex and the location make it feel loftier. It's a quiet, contemplative museum crowd and isn't kid friendly which I really like.

I don't hate kids or anything and there are children at the VMFA but they are expected to rise to the occasion, to behave and study. The NCMA may have the same vibe (I honestly don't recall). I never considered it before I went to the art museum in Denver. They have "hands-on" stations for the kids right in the middle of the galleries. It's obnoxious.

[wizard-xyzzy]

I have to give the nod to VFMA over NCMA, but if the scope of the question is "the Southeast", the High in Atlanta must be on the list.

[Tyler_Jolie-Pitt]

Originally Posted by wizard-xyzzy

I have to give the nod to VFMA over NCMA, but if the scope of the question is "the Southeast", the High in Atlanta must be on the list.

The High isn't publicly funded, though.

[wizard-xyzzy]

Originally Posted by Tyler_Jolie-Pitt

The High isn't publicly funded, though.

The largest sources of operating money for the High do indeed come from the private Cox and Woodruff foundations... "old money" in Atlanta. On the other hand, local governments arranged for $200M of tax-exempt bonds to be issued for the High's most recent expansion. No government facilitation -> no bonds, or at least not under terms so favorable. Even at NCMA, we call it "public" but a good chunk of the operating money comes from private sources via the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc which has its own board of directors and isn't subject to direct state control. Without the foundation, NCMA as we know it wouldn't exist... and you can say the same thing about the public NC Symphony.

There's a grey scale between private and public for all these institutions. But your point is valid that the High is closer to the private end of the scale than NCMA or VMFA.

[pierretong1991]

VMFA is definitely better than NCMA though NCMA is definitely not a bad place either!