The Cooper-Hewitt's Graphic Design Collection in New York

By Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@graphicdesignschoolreview.com
Graphic Design School Review Columnist

Continue building on your graphic design education with regular visits to art museums such as the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York. This Smithsonian Institution features important works, both historic and contemporary, by famous graphic designers, illustrators, and designers of textiles, products, and wall coverings.

The Cooper-Hewitt is the only art museum in the United States that is dedicated exclusively to the preservation and public education of historic and contemporary design. Housed in the former mansion of New York industrial titan Andrew Carnegie, the museum's home serves as a model of aesthetic beauty and architectural innovation. It was the first private residence in the United States to be built with a structural steel frame and its Georgian country style design reflects an important and influential 18th century architectural style.

The Cooper-Hewitt Collection in New York

As a graphic design student or professional, your first stop at the Cooper-Hewitt gallery will likely be its graphic design collection, which features works by notable graphic designers such as Edward McKnight Kauffer and Paula Scher.

But don't limit yourself to the gallery's graphic design exhibit. Principles of design, such as those involving perspective, balance, and composition, are relevant in nearly all design disciplines. An education in the masters of design - in all areas of design - may serve to enhance, stimulate, and inspire your personal design aesthetic.

Build on your graphic design education by visiting all art displayed in the Cooper-Hewitt gallery, from a rare drawing by Michelangelo and Frank Lloyd Wright furniture designs to 19th century Irish cut glass and woven European Silks from the Renaissance.

Visiting to the Cooper-Hewitt

You'll find the Cooper-Hewitt art gallery in New York City, on Fifth Avenue at 91st Street. The museum is closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who lives in Arlington, Virginia.