Date Submitted: 5/7/2005

It was a scene straight out of a painting, with sunlight gilding the grounds and glittering off the glass -- a picture-perfect morning for the grand reopening of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

After more than three years of construction, Friday marked the debut of the IMA's $74 million renovation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony ushering in the beginning of a three-day celebration.

During a program that included a performance by the International School of Indiana choir, IMA board Chairman John Thompson pumped one arm in the air and yelled, "Yay!"

That gesture, made from a platform in front of the new, glassed-enclosed Efroymson Entrance Pavilion, signified Thompson's enthusiasm for what he and other museum officials are calling "the new IMA."

"That's an art museum that belongs to all of the people in the community," said Thompson, prompting smiles and nods from other dignitaries seated behind him, including U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, D-Ind., Mexican Consul Sergio Aguilera and Mayor Bart Peterson. "We all have something to celebrate."

First-day visitors responded with enthusiasm.

In the Star Studio, the museum's interactive educational space on the first level of the Gallery Pavilion, kids and adults alike were attracted to the exhibition "Amorphic Robot Works: The Feisty Children." The exhibit features a dozen buzzing, clanking, banging robots. The hands-on art activities in an adjacent room also were popular. Museum staffers were on hand throughout the new facilities to translate that kind of enthusiasm into new memberships. (Muhammed and Martin have already joined.)

According to Fred Duncan, the museum's membership and annual fund manager, the IMA sent direct mail membership offers to 50,000 area households on April 17. To date, the effort has resulted in 1,000 new memberships.

"We knew the response to the direct mail campaign would probably be great because of enthusiasm for the new facilities," said Duncan. "But it was better than the response rate of any direct mail membership drive we've ever done." Duncan expects even more people to sign up during the three-day grand reopening.

As an added incentive, he said, the museum is offering $5 off all individual and family memberships this weekend only. Memberships range in price from $40 to $500, depending on the number of people and the types of benefits included. From Muhammed's perspective, it's a worthwhile investment.

"We've been to a lot of museums in a lot of different places," he said. "This is one of the best museums we've ever seen."

Source: Indianapolis Star, May 7, 2005

---