Terry Redlin Art Center - Watertown, South Dakota - Art Museums on Waymarking.com

This art center may be the premier attraction while visiting Watertown. This museum consists of three floors of paintings and sketching by the artist and the fourth floor consists of a law office, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Focus Watertown.

Each floor contains many of Redlin's original paintings and in the lower level there are many photographs of the universe. There is also a plantetarium, where an hourly program is displayed.

For the past two years, the Redlin Center has given out patriotic prints to the veterans in the area.

Also, annually, there is a free music concert on the grounds.

There are a couple gazebos on the grounds, where people have held weddings and get-togethers.

Paved sidewalks intertwine throughout the grounds so people can take leisurely strolls and enjoy the surroundings.

The following is courtesy of the center's website: redlinart.com


Over 150 of Terry Redlin’s original oil paintings hang in the impressive building at the junction of U.S. Highway 212 and Interstate 29 in Watertown, South Dakota.

Designed by Charles Redlin, son of the popular artist, the Redlin Art Center is truly a family project. While Terry Redlin contributed the artwork, it was Charles who planted the seed for the art center 25 years ago. He wanted to preserve and display under one roof his father’s original oil paintings.

The young Redlin says it was a hard sell. “I told Dad I wanted him to stop selling his originals. I wanted a place to display them after he was gone.” The elder Redlin, who was living in a home and studio on the shores of Lake Minnetonka in Mound, Minnesota, eventually warmed to the idea, and the project was accelerated so it would be completed, instead, during his lifetime.

Initially, the Redlins bought land along Interstate 494 in Minnesota and toyed with the idea of building the Center there; but Charles Redlin had concerns that the urban sprawls in the Minneapolis area would swallow up the intrinsic beauty of the Center. Then they had another idea. “Since South Dakota sent Dad through art school on a scholarship for disabled students, he wanted to build it in Watertown as a gift to the state of South Dakota and the people of Watertown.”Charles handled the design plans and worked tirelessly on all of the intricate details. Rather than one large room filled with paintings, the Redlin Art Center takes a unique approach to displaying Redlin’s work. Visitors can meander down hallways lined with oak railings to view the paintings. The gallery is located on three floors.

The Gallery features Redlin’s original oil paintings – every painting he has done since 1985 is on permanent display within the gallery. In 1999, the Redlin Art Center was informed of an auction featuring 15 of Redlin’s older originals. As the President of the Redlin Art Center Foundation, Charles Redlin felt compelled to purchase these special pieces for the Redlin Art Center. Because Terry Redlin sold almost all of his paintings between the years of 1977 and 1984, the Redlin Art Center had not been able to display original work representing each year of Redlin’s career. With the arrival of the “new” paintings, the Center now has originals dating from 1978 to 1985. These paintings are part of Redlin’s history – each painting tells a story and marks a specific time in the artist’s life and career.

The structure itself is a work of art. The exterior design was inspired by the Egyptian Revival period. With immense Rockville White granite columns reaching 38 feet skyward against the 52,000 square foot brick building, the grandeur of the structure envelopes visitors as they enter the Redlin Art Center. Once inside, the finishes change to polished granite. Rockville White granite was used for more than 9,000 square feet of tile on the main floor. More than 10,000 square feet of Black Galaxy granite from India was used in the Grand Entrance and behind the railings in the Gallery. The walls throughout the Gallery are lined with over 5900 square feet of granite wainscoting - Impala granite from Africa. The granite was selected because of its color – all of the finishes within the Redlin Art Center are gray, black or white so the colors within the original oil paintings become the focal point.

Even before it opened in June 1997, the Center was named a Merit Award winner in the 1996 Build AmeThe Redlin Art Center, featuring over 150 of Terry Redlin’s original oil paintings, is pleased to offer gallery games to children of all ages. The “Kid Connection” Game Card features a gallery picture bingo card, a gallery crossword puzzle, and lots of other fun word games. These special games were designed exclusively for the Redlin Art Center to encourage families to carefully examine and enjoy all of the intricate details within Terry Redlin’s paintings. The games are easy enough for small children and challenging enough for adults.

The “Kid Connection” Game Card is free of charge and children who complete the games are rewarded with a small complimentary souvenir.

Courtesy of Website

Name: Terry Redlin Art Center Location: 1200 33rd St SE Michelson Drive Watertown, South Dakota 57201 Phone Number: 605.882.3877 Web Site: [Web Link] Agency/Ownership: Private Hours of operation: M-F 8:00 to 5:00 Sa 10:00 - 4:00 Su 12:00 - 4:00 Admission Fee: Free Gift Shop: yes Cafe/Restaurant: no

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