The Quadrangle is the common name for a cluster of museums and cultural institutions in
Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
Metro Center is the original colonial settlement of Springfield, Massachusetts, located beside a bend in the Connecticut River. As of 2019, Metro Center features a majority of Western Massachusetts' most important cultural, business, and civic ve ...
, on Chestnut Street between State and Edwards Streets.
The
Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, in the center of the Quadrangle, is surrounded by a park, a library, five museums, and a cathedral. A second cathedral is just on the Quadrangle's periphery.
Merrick Park
On the corner of Chestnut and State Streets, Merrick Park is distinguished by sculptor
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Augustus Saint-Gaudens (; March 1, 1848 – August 3, 1907) was an American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation who embodied the ideals of the American Renaissance. From a French-Irish family, Saint-Gaudens was raised in New York City, he trave ...
''
The Puritan
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'', a statue depicting one of Springfield's settlers,
Deacon Samuel Chapin. Springfield Central Library and
Christ Church Cathedral are adjacent to the park.
Springfield City Library
![1891 Springfield public library Massachusetts](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/1891_Springfield_public_library_Massachusetts.png)
The Central Library, constructed in 1913, was paid for by
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...
. It is the second library to be built at that location. The nonfiction department is based in Rice Hall (named for
William Rice), consisting of a main floor and mezzanine. Opposite Rice Hall is the Arts and Music Hall, where multimedia, periodicals, and the computer lab are based. The circulation desk lies in the rotunda between the two halls.
Fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...
, children's literature, and community rooms are in the basement. The Central Library also has a Teen Advisory Board — a grouping of teenagers who help make decisions and organize events at the library geared towards teenagers.
Cathedrals
The Roman Catholic
St. Michael's Cathedral adjoins the neo-classical Springfield City Library at the southeast corner of the Quadrangle.
Also located near that edge of the Quadrangle is the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts'
Christ Church Cathedral.
Springfield Museums
Springfield Museums Corporation operates the
Dr. Seuss Memorial
The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is a sculpture garden in Springfield, Massachusetts that honors Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as Dr. Seuss. Located at the Quadrangle, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Ga ...
and five museums on the Quadrangle. In 2013, the Springfield Museum consortium achieved national accreditation from the
American Alliance of Museums
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
, a distinction awarded to only 6% of national museums in the US.
In September 2016, Springfield Museums was named as a Smithsonian affiliate, opening up new opportunities for cultural and historical exhibits, as well as educational programs.
George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum
The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum is the oldest museum on the Quadrangle. The museum is named for the collection's original owner. Its exhibits express the taste of Smith and his wife, Belle, and they bequeathed their notable collection to begin the museum. The building dates from 1895 and was designed by
Renwick, Aspinwall and Russell and Walter T. Owen.
The Ancient Treasures Gallery displays objects from ancient
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
and
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. The gallery also presents Greek and Roman sculpture from the recently acquired Blake/Purnell Collection of antiquities, and ancient Chinese ceramics and bronzes from the Bidwell Collection. Greek pottery and glass from the George Walter Vincent Smith Collection complement the classical sculptures.
The Japanese Arms and Armor Gallery, in addition to holding Smith's extensive collection of Oriental armor, is the site of an ornate Shinto wheel shrine carved during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Among other collections is a 150-piece holding of Chinese
cloisonne work, one of the most extensive collections outside of China.
Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts
![Exterior - Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA - DSC03877](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Exterior_-_Museum_of_Fine_Arts%2C_Springfield%2C_MA_-_DSC03877.JPG)
The Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts features mostly American and European works including those of Massachusetts native
John Singleton Copley
John Singleton Copley (July 3, 1738 – September 9, 1815) was an Anglo-American painter, active in both colonial America and England. He was probably born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Richard and Mary Singleton Copley, both Anglo-Irish. Afte ...
and lithographs of
Currier and Ives
Currier and Ives was a New York City printmaking business that operated between 1835 and 1907. Founded by Nathaniel Currier, the company designed and sold inexpensive, hand painted lithographic works based on news events, views of popular cultu ...
. Works by
Edgar Degas
Edgar Degas (, ; born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas, ; 19 July 183427 September 1917) was a French Impressionist artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings.
Degas also produced bronze sculptures, prints and drawings. Degas is es ...
,
Claude Monet
Oscar-Claude Monet (, , ; 14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a French painter and founder of impressionist painting who is seen as a key precursor to modernism, especially in his attempts to paint nature as he perceived it. During ...
, and others can be found in the European collection. The Museum features many interactive exhibits as well. It also has Late Medieval and Renaissance paintings by
Spinello Aretino
Spinello Aretino (c. 1350 – c. 1410) was an Italian painter from Arezzo, who was active in Tuscany at the end of the 14th and the first decennium of the 15th century.[Nicolás Francés
Nicolás Francés (died 1468) was a Spanish painter and miniaturist.
Early life
Originally from Burgundy, Francés has been documented as residing in León, Spain since before 1434 and until May 1468, the date of his death. He worked on an alt ...]
, Domingo Valls,
Pordenone
Pordenone (; Venetian and fur, Pordenon) is the main ''comune'' of Pordenone province of northeast Italy in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
The name comes from Latin ''Portus Naonis'', meaning 'port on the Noncello (Latin ''Naon'') River'.
...
,
Daniele da Volterra
Daniele Ricciarelli (; 15094 April 1566), better known as Daniele da Volterra (, ), was a Mannerist Italian painter and sculptor.
He is best remembered for his association with the late Michelangelo. Several of Daniele's most important works ...
(''Diana''), and
. It also has Baroque and 18th Century paintings by
Pierre Patel
Pierre Patel (1605 – 5 August 1676) was a French painter.
Patel was born in Picardy and was admitted to the Guild of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in 1633 and the Académie de Saint-Luc
The Académie de Saint-Luc was the guild of painters and scul ...
,
Jacob Jordaens
Jacob (Jacques) Jordaens (19 May 1593 – 18 October 1678) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and tapestry designer known for his history paintings, genre scenes and portraits. After Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, he was the leading Fle ...
,
Emanuel de Witte
Emanuel de Witte (1617–1692) was a Dutch perspective painter. In contrast to Pieter Jansz Saenredam, who emphasized architectural accuracy, De Witte was more concerned with the atmosphere of his interiors. Though few in number, de Witte als ...
,
Jan van Goyen
Jan Josephszoon van Goyen (; 13 January 1596 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch landscape painter. The scope of his landscape subjects was very broad as he painted forest landscapesm marines, river landscapes, beach scenes, winter landscape, cityscap ...
,
Ferdinand Bol
Ferdinand Bol (24 June 1616 – 24 August 1680) was a Dutch painter, etcher and draftsman. Although his surviving work is rare, it displays Rembrandt's influence; like his master, Bol favored historical subjects, portraits, numerous self-port ...
,
Jean-Étienne Liotard
Jean-Étienne Liotard (; 22 December 1702 – 12 June 1789) was a Swiss painter, art connoisseur and dealer. He is best known for his portraits in pastel, and for the works from his stay in Turkey. A Huguenot of French origin and citizen of the R ...
,
Canaletto
Giovanni Antonio Canal (18 October 1697 – 19 April 1768), commonly known as Canaletto (), was an Italian painter from the Republic of Venice, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school.
Painter of city views or ...
, and
Giovanni Paolo Panini
Giovanni Paolo Panini or Pannini (17 June 1691 – 21 October 1765) was an Italian painter and architect who worked in Rome and is primarily known as one of the ''vedutisti'' ("view painters"). As a painter, Panini is best known for his vistas of ...
. There are also American paintings by
Erastus Salisbury Field
Erastus Salisbury Field (May 19, 1805 in Leverett, Massachusetts – June 28, 1900 in Sunderland, Massachusetts) was an American folk art painter of portraits, landscapes, and history pictures.
Erastus Field and his twin sister, Salome, were bor ...
,
Frederic Edwin Church
Frederic Edwin Church (May 4, 1826 – April 7, 1900) was an American landscape painter born in Hartford, Connecticut. He was a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters, best known for painting large landscapes, ...
,
George Bellows
George Wesley Bellows (August 12 or August 19, 1882 – January 8, 1925) was an American realism, American realist painting, painter, known for his bold depictions of urban life in New York City. He became, according to the Columbus Museum of Art ...
, and
Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia Totto O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887 – March 6, 1986) was an American modernist artist. She was known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes. O'Keeffe has been called the "Mother of Amer ...
. There are also contemporary works of art by
Helen Frankenthaler
Helen Frankenthaler (December 12, 1928 – December 27, 2011) was an American abstract expressionist painter. She was a major contributor to the history of postwar American painting. Having exhibited her work for over six decades (early 1950s u ...
, Joseph Grillo, and
Lisa Hoke
Lisa Hoke (born 1952) is an American visual artist based in New York City and Hudson Valley, New York.Sisto, Elena"'Unmitigated, Unknowable Joy': A Studio Visit with Lisa Hoke" ''artcritical'', June 16, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2021.Butler, Sh ...
.
Springfield Science Museum
![Springfield Science Museum - DSC03500](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Springfield_Science_Museum_-_DSC03500.JPG)
The Springfield Science Museum displays elements of natural and physical science from the Eco-Center featuring live animals, to the African Hall, which gives visitors a ground-sky perspective of an ecosystem on the
Savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...
h. Dinosaur Hall includes a lifesize ''
Tyrannosaurus rex
''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...
'' model and skeletons from other dinosaurs, including a cast of ''
Stegosaurus
''Stegosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of herbivorous, four-legged, armored dinosaur from the Late Jurassic, characterized by the distinctive kite-shaped upright plates along their backs and spikes on their tails. Fossils of the genus have been foun ...
'' and both a legbone of ''
Alamosaurus
''Alamosaurus'' (; meaning "Ojo Alamo lizard") is a genus of opisthocoelicaudiine titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs, containing a single known species, ''Alamosaurus sanjuanensis'', from the late Cretaceous Period of what is now southern North Am ...
'' and fragment of a
tyrannosaurid
Tyrannosauridae (or tyrannosaurids, meaning "tyrant lizards") is a family of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs that comprises two subfamilies containing up to thirteen genera, including the eponymous ''Tyrannosaurus''. The exact number of genera ...
believed to represent a new species, both collected in a 1920s
Amherst College
Amherst College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher educatio ...
expedition led by one
Fred Brewster Loomis. The museum also features a
planetarium
A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation.
A dominant feature of most planetarium ...
– the first built in the United States, and one of the very few of the era not built by
Zeiss Zeiss or Zeiß may refer to:
People
*Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), German optician and entrepreneur
*Emil Zeiß (1833–1910), German Protestant minister and painter
Companies
*Carl Zeiss AG, German manufacturer of optics, industrial measurem ...
– and earth science exhibits. Additionally, the museum has its own observatory with a telescope that is periodically open to the public.
Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden
The Quadrangle's perimeter was at one time open to vehicles, but was closed off in the 1990s, becoming a pedestrian-only park. Soon after that, the
Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden was opened. Several statues depicting Springfield native Theodor Geisel (
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel (;["Seuss"](_blank)
'' James McNeill Whistler
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834July 17, 1903) was an American painter active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom. He eschewed sentimentality and moral allusion in painting and was a leading pr ...
's childhood home. It tells the story of Springfield, and in particular, highlights its role as "The City of Progress" and "The City of Firsts". The collection features exhibits on the numerous inventions and pioneering manufacturing techniques innovated there, the city's role in American history, as well as examining Springfield in a broader context as a city during various eras, (e.g. different wars, several mass immigrations, and changing transportation technology). Exhibits of antique cars and firearms, formerly housed at the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, showcase the city's various industries. Also included is a large number of items from the former
Indian Motorcycle
Indian Motorcycle (or ''Indian'') is an American brand of motorcycles owned and produced by American automotive manufacturer Polaris Inc.[genealogy
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...]
.
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum
The newest museum on the Quadrangle, opened in 2017, The
Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum is a museum in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States located in the William Pynchon Memorial Building, which until 2009 housed the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum. The museum opened in June 2017. It ...
blends artifacts and information about the life and work of Dr. Seuss with interactive exhibits aimed at children. The museum is housed in the
William Pynchon
William Pynchon (October 11, 1590 – October 29, 1662) was an English colonist and fur trader in North America best known as the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. He was also a colonial treasurer, original patentee of the Massachu ...
Memorial Building, formerly home of the
Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, which closed in 2009.
References
External links
Springfield LibrarySpringfield MuseumsDr. Seuss Memorial
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quadrangle, The
Culture of Springfield, Massachusetts
Economy of Springfield, Massachusetts
Art gallery districts
Museum districts
Museums in Springfield, Massachusetts
Tourist attractions in Springfield, Massachusetts
Museums of ancient Rome in the United States
Museums of ancient Greece in the United States
Textile museums in the United States
Art museums and galleries in Massachusetts
Science museums in Massachusetts
Industry museums in Massachusetts
Technology museums in the United States
Modern art museums in the United States
Fashion museums in the United States
Institutions accredited by the American Alliance of Museums
Dr. Seuss
Association of Science-Technology Centers member institutions