Roanoke’s New Art Museum

If beautiful fall foliage doesn’t convince you to head to the Roanoke Valley this fall, maybe the new Taubman Museum of Art will. 

On November 8th, the 81,000-square-foot art complex opens its doors to the public. Aside from being a beautiful building and hosting an impressive art collection, the Taubman (formerly the Art Museum of Western Virginia) takes the region’s natural splendor to heart. The new building, designed by LA architect Randall Stout, will use day lighting, passive solar energy, and computerized building management systems to lessen the museum’s impact on the environment.

I was in Roanoke a few months back, and though the museum was still a work in progress, I was really taken with its exterior. The sweeping contemporary design, countered by a rust-colored finish in some sections, somehow manages to complement both the charming industrial feel of Market Square and the surrounding landscape. And that’s just the outside. Check out the museum’s collection of contemporary art, photography, 19th and early 20th century American art, and more.

Taubman Museum of Art is located at 110 Salem Avenue in Roanoke, VA.

Visit the Taubman Museum Website  and the Art Museum of Western Virginia Website for more info. And click here for a description of exhibitions and detailed schedule of opening day activities.

Photo courtesy of the Art Museum of Western Virginia