Several years ago my husband and I visited the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in downtown Charlotte (N.C.) and were very impressed. The museum has since constructed a new building (now called the “Uptown Charlotte” branch of the Mint Museum) so we were eager to visit.
The new facility is lovely, but the craft exhibits were disappointing. For example, the previous venue had a large Chihuly piece hanging from the ceiling in the entrance. I know I didn’t dream this, because I was able to find it on Pinterest as shown below.
This photo was found on Pinterest, where it is attributed to “rtencati on flickr”
There was no evidence of the chandelier in the new building, though the lobby is still impressive with a huge colored window, shown below. It is 3 stories high!
There were many fine crafts, especially in glass and ceramics, but if there were quilts I somehow missed them. Here are a few things I did enjoy.
Acrylic chair by Patrick Norguet
Marimekko fabric designed by Maija Isola, 1964.
Wolf Crest Hat (in glass) by Preston Singletary.
Threshold, by Danny Lane is a huge piece made of stacked glass. The wall of glass is lighted from behind, and there are a variety of objects behind the glass, providing interesting shapes and colors. This was one of my favorite pieces.
Unfortunately, the two pieces below were the closest the museum came to having quilts. These are pieced by Anna Buckner and mounted on small stretchers, but are not quilted.
I miss the old Mint Craft + Design museum, but there was still plenty of inspiration in the new version.
P.S.–I’ve added a dragonfly to the “summer rain” quilt over the stairs.
This came from my jewelry box. Someone crocheted the wings and assembled the whole by hand.
Zippy Quilts 
Looks like the Mint Museum of Craft and Design is worth visiting! Of course I enjoyed seeing the Chihuly glass chandelier, even if it’s no longer there. Apparently there’s a brilliant piece of all-yellow Chihuly glass hanging in the Minneapolis Institute of Art because one of my blog-readers just sent me a picture of it. I really like the acrylic chair you shared a picture of. The little dragonfly adds a nice touch to your quilt!
For some reason I’ve always been fond of things made out of bands of colored acrylic. The museum did a great job of displaying items such that the lighting enhanced them.
When I lived near Charlotte I went to the Mint museum and I really enjoyed it, that was probably close to 7 years ago! It’s nice to hear they’ve expanded but I agree with you, it would’ve been nice to include some quilted items.
I recently went to the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum here in Myrtle Beach and was pleasantly surprised. They had an exhibit paying homage to Frida Kahlo and two of the displays were quilts.
Good to know about that museum in Myrtle Beach. If we ever go to the beach again, that’s a likely place. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
I also am surprised that the Chihuly glass piece is no longer on display. Maybe they’ll rotate it back in if enough people ask, or maybe it was just on loan originally. You’d think they’d want a showstopper like that in the lobby!
Several of my favorites have disappeared, but as you say hopefully they will
be rotated back.
That dragon fly is impressive and worthy of display! Here’s hoping future exhibits at the Mint are more satisfying and more quilty.
Hi Claire, It occurred to me that I probably should give the museum a quilt so they’d have no excuse, but the quality of the crafts in other media was intimidating! As you say, maybe future exhibits will have quilts. Thanks for commenting.
Fascinating and striking. I agree that a quilt or two would have softened the displays
Maybe the museum will get around to quilts. I just saw a show of Maria Shell’s quilts, so maybe I should give the Mint Museum a hint.
Hi, I remember visiting that museum once or twice for something to do when visiting our Jeff while he was at Pheiffer Univ in Misenheimer. It was a nice museum then. Surly it is still interesting. There was a wonderful restaurant almost across the street that we liked to visit. Good lunch menu.
Yes, it is surely still interesting! We enjoyed our visit and managed to find a good place for lunch, as well. Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
Thanks for sharing your pictures and I sure like that Marimekko fabric!
Yes, and I especially like that it is obviously Marimekko. Ikea was selling similar fabric last I was there.