FRESNO, CA — The Fresno Art Museum reopened to the public Saturday with a new slate of exhibitions, prompting thousands of local residents to enthusiastically reaffirm their longstanding intention to visit the institution at some unspecified point in the future.
The museum reopened following an exhibition changeover and houses a permanent collection of more than 3,800 paintings, prints, sculptures, and other works.
“That’s great,” said one northeast Fresno resident upon learning the museum had reopened. “We absolutely love that place. We’ve been meaning to go since approximately 2017.”
The institution’s summer and fall exhibitions include contemporary paintings, dance-related works, children’s illustration, and more than 65 artists represented in one collection.
Museum officials noted that visitors can experience significant works of art from Fresno, California, the United States, and around the world without driving to Los Angeles, San Francisco, or pretending the decorative metal grapes at a winery constitute sculpture.
Cultural observers said the museum’s reopening provided an important reminder that Fresno contains a nationally recognized fine-art institution located directly inside the city where everyone keeps saying there is nothing to do.
Residents responded by immediately making plans to visit sometime after it cools down, before the holidays get busy, but probably after football season.
At press time, all 3,800 works remained patiently available.