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The Currier Museum began in the 1890s with a mission of engaging the community, and that mission continues today. The museum seeks to interact with a diverse group of people, from those in its Manchester neighborhood to international and virtual audiences.The museum has a stated goal of “specifically targeting underserved communities,” which includes operating programs that serve people with memory loss, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, families dealing with issues of substance abuse, individuals with mental or physical challenges, and military veterans. The museum runs a monthly art session for active military and veteran families, which includes a complimentary lunch.
This is just one way the museum seeks to continue its mission to support Manchester’s “diverse community of learners through art by encouraging them to cultivate their artistic skills and broaden their imaginations within the setting of intimate and supportive learning situations.”
ExhibitsThe Currier Museum runs roughly a dozen exhibits at the same time, such as Critical Cartography, which is a study of the interaction of people and places; The Body in Art: From the Spiritual to the Sensual, which is a study of how the body was depicted in art across the centuries; the online Art of Hope program, which is directed at combating substance abuse; and exhibits featuring individual artists, such as Tomie DePaolo, a children’s book illustrator.
The Currier Museum holds numerous types of art classes and workshops throughout the year, for general or targeted audiences, including the children’s Summer Art Camp. The museum has held a variety of online educational programs, such as ARTalk, in-depth online discussions with artists, and virtual tours, whether they be for individuals or virtual school tours for groups of 25.
They also offer multiple art classes online, including studio art tutorials for military members and a nature in watercolor and ink class. Community members can take part in classes on portrait drawing, pastels, cartooning, impressionism, abstract painting, perspective, mixed media, and fiber arts, to name a few. All of this is part of Currier’s commitment to being in the community and drawing together diverse populations with the goal of creating a better and more inclusive society.
The Currier Museum is named for Moody Currier, who in the 1890s, along with his wife Hannah Slade, had the idea of starting the museum. Currier, a former New Hampshire governor, died in 1898. His wife lived another 17 years, undoubtedly working at establishing the museum.
After her death in 1915, the estate and house became the museum, which actually opened a few days before the 1929 stock market crash. An art school was added in 1939 and new buildings were created in 1982 and 2008. Two homes designed in the 1950s by Frank Lloyd Wright were added to the museum in 1988 and 2019.
The museum is currently engaged in restoring the 1860s Chandler House, one of its several properties. The museum prides itself on connecting the past with the future, especially in the art it houses. This, it is said, is the traditional role of museums.
