Last Chance to See “Set in Style” and “Color Moves” Exhibitions at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

Two popular exhibitions at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum will close in the next few weeks. “Color Moves: Art and Fashion by Sonia Delaunay” is on view through Sunday, June 19, and “Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels” is on view through Monday, July 4. Admission to the museum will be free of charge July 4 to mark the closing of “Set in Style.”

“Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels,” which opened Feb. 18, examines the renowned jewelry firm’s significant historical contributions to jewelry design and design innovation, particularly during the 20th century. Visitation to the exhibition has been record-breaking, with more than 125,000 visitors since it opened Feb. 18.

“Color Moves: Art and Fashion by Sonia Delaunay,” which opened March 18, features Sonia Delaunay’s designs for textiles and fashion in the 1920s through the 1940s, when she was intensively exploring the relationship between fabrics and contemporary art in terms of movement and color.

These are the final exhibitions to be held at Cooper-Hewitt’s main facility while the museum undergoes its expansion. Housed in the Carnegie Mansion, the museum will undergo renovation and expansion, beginning in fall 2011, which will increase gallery space by 60 percent. During this period Cooper-Hewitt will be programming at locations around New York City.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming record crowds for the final exhibitions on-site before the renovation of the mansion commences,” said Cooper-Hewitt Director Bill Moggridge. “These exhibitions have introduced Cooper-Hewitt to many new people, and we look forward to seeing them at our exhibitions and programs held off-site during the renovation, and back again at the Carnegie Mansion in 2013.”

Cooper-Hewitt Off-Site Exhibitions

“Design with the Other 90%: Cities,” the second in a series of themed exhibitions by Cooper-Hewitt that demonstrate how design can address the world’s most critical issues, opens Oct. 15 at the United Nations and runs through Jan. 9, 2012. Admission to the exhibition will be free of charge.

In summer 2012, Cooper-Hewitt will present “Graphic Design: Now In Production” at a New York venue. Organized by Andrew Blauvelt of the Walker Art Center and Ellen Lupton of Cooper-Hewitt, the exhibition features work produced since 2000 in the most vital sectors of communication design. Admission to the exhibition will be free of charge.

About the Renovation of the Carnegie Mansion

Cooper-Hewitt’s redesign focuses on adapting a 20th-century historic house to meet the needs of a 21st-century museum. Through reprogramming portions of the mansion on Fifth Avenue and 91st Street and the adjacent townhouses on 90th Street, the project will increase the museum’s total exhibition space by 60 percent, from approximately 10,000 square feet to approximately 16,000 square feet. The project’s design architect is Gluckman Mayner Architects. Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP serves as the executive architect.

About the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design. Founded in 1897 by Amy, Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt—granddaughters of industrialist Peter Cooper—as part of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, the museum has been a branch of the Smithsonian since 1967. The museum presents compelling perspectives on the impact of design on daily life through active educational programs, exhibitions and publications.

The museum is located at 2 East 91st Street at Fifth Avenue in New York City. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Public transit routes include the 4, 5 and 6 subways (86th or 96th Street stations) and the Fifth and Madison Avenue buses. General admission, $15; senior citizens and students ages 12 and older, $10. Cooper-Hewitt and Smithsonian members and children younger than age 12 are admitted free. For further information, call (212) 849-8400 or visit http://www.cooperhewitt.org. The museum is fully accessible.   

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