If you’ve had a chance to visit the Carnegie Museum of Art recently, then you already know that the Sarah Scaife Galleries, which housed and displayed much of the museum’s permanent collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts objects, have been closed for some time. But on Saturday, after a yearlong renovation, the Scaife Galleries will reopen. And aside from work that was done to allow stricter control of environmental conditions in order to meet current conservation standards, visitors can expect to see a new spin on the museum’s permanent collection, says Sarah Nichols, chief curator and curator of decorative arts. “I think there’s a lot that people will think is new and different,” Nichols says. One major difference is that each of the galleries has been painted a different color, from various shades of pale gray in the main galleries to shades of plum and earth tones in adjacent galleries. Then, there is the arrangement of all of the works on view, which many will recognize as being similar to the floor-to-ceiling “salon style” display that was a feature of the much-applauded “Panopticon” exhibition – on view in the Heinz Galleries from October 2002 through August while the Scaife Galleries were closed for renovation. “It had a big impact on us,” says Louise Lippincott, curator of fine arts, about “Panopticon.” “The public response was so strong we felt we had to respond to it with this installation.” Lippincott says part of that response included the decision to display twice as many paintings as before. Additionally, they have been arranged with stricter adherence to chronology. As for decorative arts, Nichols says, “There are new things in here that haven’t been out on view before.” For example, a number of 18th-century furniture pieces have been added and are arranged in a similar fashion as to how they were in “Panopticon.” Nichols says the new arrangement of all of the works on view should allow for some fresh perspectives: “Because things are reorganized in different places, I’m sure many people will think, ‘Oh, that’s new to the collection.’ It isn’t. It’s the same old thing, it’s just that it’s next to something different. It’s against a different wall color. I mean, there are new things in here that haven’t been out on view before, but it’s basically just a new way of looking at things.”

The Scaife Galleries at a Glance

Designed by New York architect Edward Larrabee Barnes and opened in 1974, the Sarah Scaife Galleries were a gift of the Sarah Mellon Scaife Foundation and the Scaife family. Until recently, the galleries have not undergone any major architectural reconfigurations. But in 2000, when improvements were made to the adjacent Heinz Galleries as a result of expanding and renovating The Heinz Architectural Center, it became clear that improving the Scaife Galleries was a necessity as well, says Richard Armstrong, director of Carnegie Museum of Art. “The gallery improvements were necessary to preserve the museum’s collections,” Armstrong says, “but we wanted to use this opportunity to create additional enhancements that would make the galleries more enjoyable and comfortable while making the collections even more accessible for the museum’s visitors.” Here, at a glance, are some of the updated features of the newly renovated Scaife Galleries. What you will see: Several galleries featuring floor-to-ceiling arrangements of artworks. They were inspired by “Panopticon,” the dramatic salon-style installation of works from the museum’s permanent collection that was on view in the Heinz Galleries from October 2002 through August while the Scaife Galleries were closed for renovation. A larger Works on Paper Gallery. It’s located at the entrance to the galleries, and the contemporary art section will incorporate decorative arts and works on paper along with paintings, sculpture, and film and video pieces. Colorful walls. The main galleries have each been painted a different shade of light gray, while the end galleries have plum-colored walls and the African Art and Works on Paper galleries have earth tones. New skylights. Resource areas and more comfortable seating integrated into the gallery spaces. New labels for the works of art providing information about artists, art movements and techniques. Numbers at the entrance to each of the Scaife Galleries corresponding to maps that have been placed on the walls throughout so that visitors can find their way through the collections. New bathrooms adjacent to the contemporary art section. What you won’t see, but it’s nice to know it’s there: A new security system. New climate-control systems, including vapor barriers added to exterior walls. Wireless digital technology infrastructure added throughout. Still to come: Later this fall, interactive stations where visitors will have the opportunity to respond to works of art in words or drawings, as well as an audio tour, will be unveiled. The audio tour will include information on more than 100 works of art including 15 entries written specifically for kids and families and narrated by Art Cat, the museum’s mascot for children’s programs.

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