Parking is free, and we had no trouble finding a spot.

The outside of the building, with chocolate brown tiles and gun-metal gray roofs, is not terribly attractive. The roofs used to be white, which gave it a more 60's modern appearance, and from a distance, the brown always comes across like wood shingles. Overall, the exterior colors do blend nicely with the pieces of art outside.

The green gardens leading into the main entrance are a pretty feature. And two more Rodin sculptures stand in front, both of which are very accessible.

Although security is abundant, none of the works had any stanchions or guard rails protecting them. Visitors were standing next to Balzac, and snapping pictures with The Burghers of Calais [above] as if they were The Seven Dwarfs of Fantasyland.

[click here to see some of the incredible details]

It was very friendly, gregarious and welcoming. And we hadn't even walked in the front door.

Once inside, all of the street noise is lost - and we were met with a hushed quiet -- similar to that of a busy library. Quiet conversations, echoing footsteps, even some laughter. Nice.

The interiors are light, bright, open, with lots of filtered sun pouring in through skylights. And a good crowd was present, although it never felt congested or closed in.

Admission Fees

Adults: $6.00
Seniors [62 and above]: $3.00
Visitors 18 and under: Free
Students with ID: Free
Museum Members: Free

The museum is essentially in the shape of a letter H - with the lobby and common area being the cross piece of the 'H.' The galleries radiate out from the common area in 4 different directions, with each 'leg' displaying art in specific timeframes. Downstairs are a few other large galleries.

 

The first gallery just off the main lobby contains art from the 19th and 20th Centuries, and it starts off with a bang. van Gogh over here, Cezanne over there, Degas sculptures in the center of the room - all of which I would describe as famous pieces of art. Dianne and I recognized quite a few of them.

mmm

Like the sculptures in the main entrance garden, the works here have no glass cases, no 'PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH' signs, and no laser-guided buzzers. We could have literally reached out and touched the art. But we didn't. No one did. It was fascinating.

Contrast this vibe with The Autry, where a tube top from 'Thelma and Louise' is displayed behind a thick glass case with alarm activated guardrails. Go figure.

But security is present and the staff does a good job. While certainly approachable and accessible, they walk the fine line of being friendly, intimidating, and unobtrusive. Nice work here.

From this main gallery room, visitors can walk toward the 19th Century Impressionists and Post-Impressionists in one direction, or 20th Century paintings and sculpture in the other. We headed down the 20th Century hallway.

On both sides were paintings by among others, Modigliani, Matisse, and Picasso. Sculpture from the likes of Henry Moore, Giacometti, and Brancusi.

In more than a few cases I had to peek at the title to remember the artist, but most of the pieces here were very familiar - like a really good Art History book.

Again, the sculptures are in full view with no guard rails or glass cases. To be able to stand next to Giacometti's famous Tall Figure sculpture [right] was a bit like meeting a celebrity. Please note: Tall Figure did not grant an autograph.

Along with the central skylights, the additional lighting is just outstanding. In many cases it's hard to even detect. Paintings are covered in glass or plexiglass that is so pristine and clear, and which is so close to the surface of the picture, in some cases you feel like you can touch the texture of the oil paints.

Once to the end of this gallery, Megan noticed a door leading to the outside gardens. We took it