Established:

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri opened to the public in 1933.

The Museum's permanent collection includes more than 33,500 works of art such as European painting and sculpture from medieval to late 19th century, most notably Italian, German and Netherlandish paintings, along with Asian, African, American, Modern and contemporary art.

History:

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri was established in 1933, but its history began in the late 1880s and early 1900s by the visions of two individuals: William Rockhill Nelson and Mary McAfee Atkins.

Newspaper publisher William Rockhill Nelson had arrived in Kansas City in the late 1880s and wished to remake the nondescript frontier town into a cultural center, so he bequeathed his estate to the establishment of a museum.

School teacher Mary McAfee Atkins had married well, but was left a grief-stricken widow at the age of 50 in 1886. She traveled to Europe eight times and visited several prestigious art museums. Inspired by their collections, she left her sizable estate for the establishment of a museum.

In 1927, the trustees agreed to combine the Nelson and Atkins funds in order to make a world class art museum.

Mission: 

According to their website, the Museum is:

"dedicated to the enjoyment and understanding of the visual arts and the varied cultures they represent. It is committed through its collections and programs to being a vital partner in the educational and cultural life of Kansas City and a preeminent institution both nationally and internationally. The Nelson-Atkins strives to achieve this goal by adherence to the highest professional standards in the collection, preservation, exhibition and interpretation of works of art."

Location:

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, is located in the center of Kansas City, at 4525 Oak Street, three blocks northeast of the Country Club Plaza .

Please refer to the Museum's website for specific directions.

Museum's Conservation Department:

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri maintains a permanent collection, so it requires the services of art conservators, who are trained to research, restore, and conserve the works of art for future generations.

To learn more about the highly specialized field of art conservation, read interviews with art conservators.

Famed Artworks in Collection:

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art's collection includes work by historically renowned artists such as Caravaggio, Titian, Canaletto, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Poussin, Vigee Le Brun, Gericault, Delacroix, Millet, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne, Constable, Turner, El Greco, Zurbaran, and Goya.

Noteworthy Facts

The reference library contains over 180,000 volumes, "comprised of books, exhibition catalogs, auction catalogs, theses and dissertations, and bound periodicals. The extensive collection also includes over 650 current periodical subscriptions, media, microforms, electronic resources and artist files." 

Employment Information:

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri posts employment opportunities on its website, which may become available in the various museum departments such as administrative, educational, conservation, curatorial, marketing, sales, security, and visitor services.

Various arrangements such as full-time, part-time, temporary, and on-call personnel positions are available.

How to Apply for a Job:

TheNelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri posts jobs on its website when positions become available. Qualified job applicants are requested to submit their application forms online and upload their resumes and cover letters.

To learn more about how to successfully apply for a job and how to write effective resumes and cover letters, please go to Job Search at About.com.

Museum's Contact Info:

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64111. Tel:816.751.1ART (816.751.1278) .

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art's website

Museum Hours:

• Monday closed
• Tuesday closed
• Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Thursday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Friday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Sunday 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
• closed holidays