Ambassador admires unique DC museum
The National Museum of Women in the Arts stands out in a city full of museums
Photo: Yassine El Mansouri / National Museum of Women in the Arts
From left to right: Ambassador of Norway Kåre R. Aas, NMWA Board President Emerita and Endowment Chair Carol Lascaris, and Climis Lascaris at the museum’s Spring 2015 Gala.
Christine Foster Meloni
Washington, D.C.
Ambassador Kåre Aas is an enthusiastic admirer of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C.
He remarked recently, “In a city filled with incredible museums, the National Museum of Women in the Arts stands out as something unique. It’s a fantastic institution with a wonderful collection—a must-see on any visit to Washington, D.C. I have visited the museum several times and have been very impressed by the artwork—all by female artists. It’s a special part of this city’s cultural landscape. I’m proud to say that the Embassy has an excellent working relationship with the museum and its staff and volunteers.”
The NMWA is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to art by women artists. It was the dream of Wilhelmina Cole Holladay. She and her husband Wallace F. Holladay began acquiring art by women in the 1960s. By 1980, they had a very impressive collection. In 1981 they formally incorporated the NMWA as a private, non-profit museum. They operated it out of their home for the first five years.
In 1983, they purchased an extraordinary Washington landmark, a 78,810-square-foot building that was formerly used as a Masonic Temple. It was renovated and won many architectural awards. The museum opened its doors in this permanent location in the spring of 1987.
Ambassador Aas encourages the readers of the Norwegian American Weekly to visit the museum when they are in the nation’s capital. For more information about this special museum, visit its website at nmwa.org.
This article originally appeared in the July 3, 2015, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
