Kickstarter Celebrates #MuseumWeek By Looking Back at Eight Memorable Collaborations

“In the nearly seven years we’ve spent helping new creative projects come into the world, we’ve seen a kaleidoscopic array of artists and institutions use Kickstarter to bring new artworks and exhibitions to life. To celebrate #MuseumWeek, we’re sharing a few projects from our archives that were helmed by museums and cultural institutions, each of which used Kickstarter to invite the public into the fold of their mission, launch a unique project, and engage new audiences in the process.”

Check out the 8 collaborations below.

1. The Smithsonian Institute Brought Back Neil Armstrong’s Spacesuit: Last year, the well known museum secured $719,779 from 9,477 backers so that it can bring the spacesuit of Neil Armstrong to its audience. Kickstarter noted, “As part of the project, the Smithsonian team showed their community how their digitization team was using 3D printers to revolutionize the way we interact with artifacts, and they brought backers along for a virtual tour of the spacesuit’s conservation process.”
2. The Royal Academy brought Ai Weiwei’s Work to the Public in London: The London institution captured £123,577 from 1,319 backers to bring Ai WeiWei’s tree sculptures to the Annenberg Courtyard from September to December 2015. Kickstarter concluded, “The Royal Academy transcended national boundaries, inviting people from all over the world to join them in bringing Ai Weiwei’s magnificent Treesculptures to their courtyard, where the work could be enjoyed by visitors for free.”
3. The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit Transformed Their Facade into a Canvas: 190 backers put forth $14,950 to help Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit transform its exterior facades and enliven the museum’s streetscape with this major public art project on Woodward in Detroit. Kickstarter commented, “For the inauguration of this ongoing public art project, Andrew Kuo created In Staying/Faces, a large-scale, vibrant mural that draws on his experience as an urban dweller and charts works that have marked his career.”
4. The Andy Warhol Museum Brought Socially Inspired Prints to the Public: 201 fans of the late Andy Warhol offered up $20,257 to bring to commission three artists to create socially and politically inspired prints. Kickstarter noted, “Located in the high-traffic area near Pittsburgh’s baseball and football stadiums, the project provides a space for artists to respond to current events, express marginalized opinions, and to encourage discussion around timely issues.”
5. The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts Brought its Physical Space into the Digital Realm: Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) received $50,135 from 341 backers so that it could bring itself to an international audience with a new online presence. Kickstarter explained,”By building a new website and increasing their video production capacity, the museum is now able to transcend its physical space and engage with the African Diaspora across the world.”
6. The Bowes Museum Brought Gavin Turk’s Largest Neon Work Ever to Its Facade: The Bowes Museum garnished a total of £8,680 from 145 backers to commission a Gavin Turk neon to broadcast the world’s population on the front of its 19th century Museum’s French façade in Teesdale. Kickstarter stated, “The work served as an entry point for Turk’s exhibition inside the institution, allowing visitors to walk through the museum’s doors and enter the artist’s enchanting realms of imagination and beyond.”
7. The Museum of Digital Art Became the First Museum in Europe Dedicated to those Using Code to Create Art:Digital Arts Association raised $111,111 from 567 backers to help make the Museum of Digital Art a reality. Kickstarter revealed, “With the help of their backers, they were able to solidify their physical location in Zurich as well as their virtual presence on any screen connected to the internet.”
8. The Queens Museum is Commissioning New Artworks Inspired by NYC: NYC’s Queens Museum secured $30,374 from 240 backers to commission artworks inspired by Rebecca Solnit & Joshua Jelly-Schapiro’s “Nonstop Metropolis.” Kickstarter added, “As part of this project, the museum is commissioning two entirely new artworks by Duke Riley, a wild-child graphic artist, and Mariam Ghani, who uses data to create wonderfully colorful, story-rich murals.”