By Samuel Aronson
The Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM) is a hidden gem within our school’s city. It’s home to a diverse and impressive collection of artwork and is officially partnered with FSU. It’s also a massive resource for students. Plus it’s only a four-minute drive (or 24-minute walk, according to Google Maps) from campus. Despite this, attendance at the museum by students is surprisingly low. Why? There are plenty of reasons to visit FAM!
Photo courtesy of Lizzy Vrettos
- You Don’t Have to Know ANYTHING About Art
Seriously, you don’t have to know a single thing. FAM isn’t the stuffy gathering place for pretentious rich people that we often seem to conceptualize most art museums as. You aren’t going to find people following you around the museum making sure you aren’t messing with stuff, you aren’t going to be lectured on viewing order or what to study. You can just make your way through the museum at your leisure, looking at whatever you find beautiful or interesting without needing a Ph.D. to “get it.” Oh, and you can take pictures of whatever you want, they don’t mind.
- Real Opportunities
FAM is officially partnered with FSU, which is pretty cool. Because of this partnership, we as students have access to some serious opportunities. Students have been involved with the museum and given the chance to create film, photography, writing, advertising campaigns, and, of course, art. This work can then be shown off to potential employers, and the best part is, you did this work for a recognized institution, not just a class.
- You Might Learn Something
Just because the employees at FAM aren’t going to shove art history down your throat doesn’t mean they don’t know any. If you’re looking around the museum and find something that you’re really into, you can obviously find out all about it, and who knows, that might lead you to find, even more, art that you’ll love. FAM has also been part of the community for quite some time, you might be able to learn a bit about Fitchburg while you’re at it!
- Some of the Art Will Give You a Serious Nostalgia Trip
FAM’s current exhibition, “Plastic Imagination,” features a diverse mix of art, all made out of plastic. Some of these works feature very recognizable items, like shotgun shells, while others are more broken down to the point where you can’t quite tell. Some, however, are pieced together using, among other things, classic toys and trinkets that you probably owned as a child. You can see a sneak peak below.
- FSU Students Get In For Free
It’s free. That’s kind of a big deal. What else can you do on a rainy Sunday afternoon on campus that’s absolutely free? I’m sure there are other answers, but going to FAM is the first one that comes to my mind. It’s our museum as FSU students, and they show that by letting us in for free.
