The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is one of the metro’s crown jewels. Besides holding court for countless exhibitions over the years, the museum just announced that the city’s beloved (and nearly defunct) Tivoli Theater would reopen at the Nelson.
We caught up with Kathleen Leighton, the museum’s manager of media relations and video production, to pepper her with a slew of questions for our inane “By The Numbers” query. Needless to say, she was a good sport.
Number of exhibits currently at Nelson-Atkins: 5—including Access+Ability, Golden Prospects California Gold Rush Daguerreotypes, Discriminating Thieves: Nazi-Looted Art and Restitution, Andy Goldsworthy’s Walking Wall, and Queen Nefertari, Eternal Egypt—which opens today.
Exhibit with the biggest all-time attendance: 2017’s Through the Eyes of Picasso with 101,961 visitors.
Number of visitors to Nelson-Atkins last year: 520,000
How many parties/wingdings/soirées/philanthropic events did you throw last year? 160, but who’s counting? Among those—35 YFA events, 31 Business Council Events, 12 weddings, 1 Party Arty—and a partridge in a pear tree.
Most expensive item in gift shop: Farmhouse lamp, $775
Least expensive item in gift shop: Caravaggio postcard, $1.25
Number of seats in the new Tivoli theater: 520
Objects in the museum’s collection: 42,466
Number of famous visitors who have toured the Nelson: Too many to count! The Queer Eye cast, Caroline Kennedy, Big Bird, Dimitri Martin, Bill Murray and the list goes on …
Number of employees at Nelson-Atkins: 248
Number of volunteers: 500+
Number of espressos executive director Julián Zugazagoitia consumes in a day: 7-ish—depending on how hectic the day is.
Number of languages Julián speaks: 6
Number of Shuttlecocks on the lawn: 4
Size of The Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park: 22 acres
Students served through tours, classes and workshops: 54,407
Schools served: 357
Number of Facebook followers: 120,768—and counting!