Fun Things to Do in Charlotte NC--The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Fun Things to Do in Charlotte NC—The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Where is the most famous bird in Charlotte NC?  Is it in towering willow oaks along Queens Road?  How about in one of Mecklenburg County’s nature preserves?  Is it flying over Lake Norman?

No. You won’t find Charlotte’s best known bird in any of those places.

Charlotte’s favorite bird is perched on the streets in uptown Charlotte.  It’s the “Firebird”, an 18’ tall sculpture in front of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.  The “Firebird” is perched on an arch and covered by thousands of mirrored glass tiles.  It’s become everyone’s favorite place to be photographed.

The “Firebird” welcomes visitors to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, a jewel of a museum that houses a 1500-piece collection of modern artwork donated by Andreas Bechtler.  Only about a 100 pieces are on display at a time in the four-story museum.  Many of the pieces have never been exhibited  before in the United States.  Charlotteans have the opportunity to see artwork from some of the biggest names in 20th-century modern art right in the heart of uptown Charlotte.

The building housing the Bechtler Museum was designed by a renowned Swiss architect named Mario Botta.  It is a terra cotta building that is cantilevered over an outdoor plaza.  Views within the museum are grand with a four-story atrium providing glimpses of artwork across the museum.  The museum includes a lobby cafe and a gift shop.

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is part of the Levine Center for the Arts on South Tryon Street in uptown Charlotte.  The other components of this cultural center are the Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, the Knight Theater and the Mint Museum.

Learn more.

Fun Things to Do in Charlotte NC—The Gantt Center for African American Arts+Culture

Want to know more about living in Charlotte NC and its small towns?  Request a free Charlotte NC relocation package.

Copyright 2010.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Fun Things to Do in Charlotte NC—The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art*