Joslyn Art Museum
Three radically different buildings now carry more than 12,000 objects spanning roughly 5,000 years of creativity.
Artwork inspired by Kent Bellows
The Joslyn is simultaneously an art collection and an architectural walk: the 1931 Art Deco building, Norman Foster’s 1994 pavilion, and Snøhetta’s 2024 Hawks Pavilion meet around galleries and sculpture gardens. Western American art is a historic strength, but ancient, European, Indigenous, modern, and contemporary work prevent a one-theme visit.
Start with one collection area rather than moving chronologically through every room, then cross into a building from another era and notice how the architecture changes the pace of looking. General admission and permanent galleries are free; selected temporary exhibitions can require a ticket.
- Collection
- 12,000+ objects
- Architecture
- Three connected landmark buildings
- Best first visit
- One collection wing plus sculpture gardens
Quick guide
- Route question
- 12,000+ objects ↔ Three connected landmark buildings
- Final evidence
- Choose one strong holding—such as Western American art—before branching outward.
Quick guide
- Architecture
- Cross the 1931 Art Deco building, 1994 pavilion, and 2024 addition deliberately.
- Collection
- Choose one strong holding—such as Western American art—before branching outward.
- Compare
- Set works from different periods or cultures beside one another instead of chasing coverage.
- Outside
- Use the sculpture gardens to notice how scale and light change after the galleries.
Good to know
Three architectural eras—the 1931 Art Deco building, Norman Foster’s pavilion, and Snøhetta’s Hawks Pavilion—change the pace and light of looking before the art does.
Notice these
- 12,000+ objects
- Three connected landmark buildings
- One collection wing plus sculpture gardens