Eskenazi Museum of Art
Ancient objects, prints, photographs, and modern art meet in a free university museum whose triangular building constantly changes how one work faces another.
Artwork inspired by Felrath Hines
The Eskenazi is a teaching museum in the best sense: its broad collection was assembled to make comparison possible. Ancient Mediterranean and Asian objects, African art, works on paper, photography, and twentieth-century art can be studied at close range without an admission barrier. I. M. Pei’s acute angles create shifting sightlines that encourage unexpected visual conversations across rooms.
Do not try to sample every civilization evenly. Pick one material—bronze, paper, clay, or textile—and follow how different makers solved related problems. Then spend sustained time with the prints and drawings, where rotation and light sensitivity mean the display changes. Thursday evening provides a useful longer window, and the university context adds talks and study resources beyond a conventional museum visit.
- Admission
- Always free
- Architect
- I. M. Pei
- Strength
- Cross-cultural comparison
Quick guide
- Choose a material
- Trace one medium across cultures instead of following a greatest-hits checklist.
- Use the angles
- Let Pei’s sightlines suggest comparisons, then test whether the connection holds.
How to use a teaching collection
- Choose a material
- Trace one medium across cultures instead of following a greatest-hits checklist.
- Use the angles
- Let Pei’s sightlines suggest comparisons, then test whether the connection holds.
- Find works on paper
- Rotating prints, drawings, and photographs reward repeat visits.
- Read uncertainty
- Notice attributions, dates, and provenance notes rather than treating every label as final.
Good to know
Admission is free. Galleries open Tuesday–Sunday, with extended Thursday hours and a Monday closure. Campus parking requires planning: the Fee Lane garage is a dependable paid option, while accessible spaces are directly behind the museum. The building is accessible and offers elevators, seating, and additional sensory and access resources.
Notice these
- Triangular atrium
- Ancient art collections
- Prints and photographs