Alpha-Buffalo: A is for Albright-Knox Art Gallery

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One of Buffalo’s top cultural draws is the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, located at 1285 Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo. A world-renowned center for modern and contemporary art, the Gallery is host to a rich collection of post-war American and European art – abstract art, pop art and items from the 1970s through today – as well as pieces from trends including Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, cubism, surrealism and constructivism.

The Gallery’s governing body, the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, was founded in 1862, making it one of the oldest public arts organizations in the United States. The original gallery, a gift from area philanthropist John Albright, was intended to be used as the Fine Arts Pavilion for the Pan-American Exhibition in 1901; the building wasn’t completed until 1905. Designed by Buffalo architect E.B. Green, it was known as the Albright Art Gallery until 1962. An addition was needed, and made possible by donations from the Knox family, who went on to become the first owners of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team; the gallery was renamed the Albright-Knox Art Gallery following the dedication.

The G. Robert Strauss Jr. Memorial Library is the Gallery’s research and study center; it supports research and education by collecting, preserving and making resources available to members, students, academics and community members by request. The Gallery also offers classes and workshops for everyone, from toddlers to adults.

Looking for a way to check out the Gallery on the cheap? M&T First Fridays, held – you guessed it – on the first Friday of each month, opens the doors to the Gallery’s 1962 Knox Building free of charge from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Some special events are also free of charge, while other events, tours and classes are available for a nominal fee. Become a member of the Art Gallery and all of these events are free of charge – join on a First Friday and receive a 20-percent discount on your membership.

For more information on the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, visit www.albrightknox.org.