The Weatherspoon Art Gallery was established in 1942 during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Woman's College (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The head of the department of art, the dean of the College, and the dean of administration were instrumental in founding the Gallery, which was housed in an unused science lab in the McIver Memorial Building. It was named in honor founding president Charles Duncan McIver's sister and the first art teacher at the college Mrs. Elizabeth McIver Weatherspoon. In 1989, the Museum moved to the Cone Building, named after Anne and Benjamin Cone who donated $2 million dollars for its construction. In 2001, the Weatherspoon Art Gallery changed its name to the Weatherspoon Art Museum. The decision to change the name came from a desire to more adequately reflect its function and mission as the gallery had grown and expanded in size and scope. From its inception, the Museum has focused on building a permanent collection of modern and contemporary American art that is now considered one of the best in the Southeast. Numbering close to 6,000 works, the collection represents all major art movements from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. The Museum serves a broad audience of nearly 30,000 visitors annually, including the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) students, faculty and staff; the Triad communities; and visitors from across the state, region, and nation; and an additional 24,000 students who take art history classes in the building.
From the description of Office of the Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum, Weatherspoon Art Museum records, 1942-2011 (University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 720335227
