Dedicated in 1966, the Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden at the Brooklyn Museum is a preeminent collection of terracotta, stone, and metal architectural elements salvaged from now-demolished structures throughout the metropolitan area and reinstalled outside the Museum's Norman M. Feinberg Entrance. Most of these remarkable objects date to the period between 1880 and 1910, recording a great era in the cultural, architectural, and industrial history of New York City.
Beyond the significance of individual works, the collection as a whole demonstrates the Museum's agile response to the destruction of architectural treasures even before the historic preservation movement reached its stride in the late 1960s. As public appreciation of architectural ornament and sculpture has grown, the Museum's collection has served not only as an archive of historic objects, but also as a welcoming outdoor installation beloved by visitors.
Recognizing the importance of these two functions, the Brooklyn Museum's 1986 Master Plan features the collection installation as a primary outdoor Museum space to be developed, a complement to the public plaza on Eastern Parkway.
Original works of art in the reconfigured and revitalized garden invite visitors to the Museum as they approach the Norman M. Feinberg Entrance, adjacent to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A later phase will extend installation of the architectural collection into the Eastern Parkway plaza area as well.
These projects, which include rich interpretative programs introducing the history and context of the collection, exemplify the Museum's mission to serve the public as a dynamic and rewarding destination.
The reconfiguration of the Museum's outdoor spaces also includes the renovation and reorientation of the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum subway stop. Within the train station, an exciting display of historic New York architectural ornaments invites visitors into the newly designed public plaza.
The MTA station project presents an important yet uncelebrated collection, increasing public awareness and appreciation of New York's architectural richness, while also illustrating that great art is not limited to the inside of the Museum.