Business & Tech

Officials Celebrate Opening Of Art Museum

More than 60 local officials, art aficionados and supporters of the arts gathered together Thursday for a ribbon cutting ceremony outside the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert.

Calling Palm Desert a cultural center for the Coachella Valley, officials celebrated the grand opening of the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert Thursday.

Palm Desert Mayor Robert Spiegel read a proclamation making March "The Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, The Galen, Month."

"It's a wonderful place to have this museum," Spiegel said.

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The 8,400-square-foot museum -- also known as The Galen -- officially opened to the public Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its location at Entrada del Paseo on Highway 111 and El Paseo in Palm Desert.

Free admission will be offered on Saturday, March 31.

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Helene Galen, the main donor behind the museum, cut the ribbon in honor of her late husband and museum trustee Lou Galen.

Steve Nash, the museum's executive director, said the museum will allow the arts to be brought to the central and eastern Coachella Valley.

Harold Meyerman, who is on the museum's Board of Trustees, said the goal is make The Galen the most influential museum between Phoenix and Los Angeles.

The first exhibition featured in The Galen is "Rodin to Now: Modern Sculpture," and includes works by Auguste Rodin, Pablo Picasso, Robert Therrien and Bob Van Breda.

Outside the museum, the Fay Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden, named for a long-time benefactor and trustee, features sculptures by Donald Judd, Mark Di Suvero, Dave McGary and Betty Gold.

Some of the sculptures were installed in advance of the opening, and others will be installed in the coming months.


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