The newly remodeled Seatle Art Museum

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) reopened this past weekend with lots of fanfare and gimmicky promotions. The museum was opened for 32 hours straight from Saturday morning through Sunday evening. Admission was free, but a timed-entry ticket was needed which were issued at the museum box office.

Luckily for us, Jim and I got to see the museum before its grand reopening because they held special preview hours for WAMU employees (the art museum occupies lower floors of the new WAMU Center, where Jim works). Sad to say that I'm not terribly impressed with the space, though everybody absolutely loves it in all the reviews I've read.

I feel that the museum has degenerated into a space where you can throw awesome parties. As evidence on the night we went, there were a few people who had a fit when they were told they couldn't enter the galleries with oversized bags, umbrellas and wine glasses (handed out complimentary during the evening).

Unlike other museums, SAM isn't arranged chronologically. I'm not convinced that this works for a museum the size of SAM; there's just too much to look at. Some of the art is hung in odd locations, like just off the elevator banks where you may otherwise see directions signs pointing where to go, or on a wall between 2 doorways.

I give credit for the creative design incorporating the old museum designed by Robert Venturi and his wife, Denise Brown. There were nice touches that were sorely missing in the old space -- there's more natural light in some of the galleries, an additional museum shop upstairs, and elevated ceiling heights. In the old space, traveling exhibits had a premium location while the permanent collections were relegated to the upper floors which were mainly forgotten. There were a few exhibits Jim and I saw that were packed elbow to elbow downstairs, while exhibits on other floors would be virtually empty.

I hope everyone has a chance to check out the museum. I would love to hear your opinions.