No, this isn’t about the Ben Stiller movie series, it’s about a chain of boutique hotels whose public spaces reflect the owners’ large collection of contemporary art in nearly every form. Each of the 21c Museum Hotels also reflects their desire to re-use significant buildings.
The project started in 2006 when Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson opened the first hotel in several 19th-century warehouses in Louisville. The idea was to display the painting, sculpture, photography, film and more to create a hometown cultural destination, as well as succeeding economically.
They’ve since added units in Cincinnati, Durham, NC and Bentonville, AR and will soon open in Lexington, KY. The Lexington hotel will be in the Fayette National Bank Building, a gem by McKim, Mead and White.
The lobbies of the hotels are essentially public art galleries, subsidized by the overnight guests. Staff are trained with information about the art as the hotels have become a destination for tour groups, including school visits. The owners hope to open 15 more in the next 10 years.
For more pictures and details from The Guardian (UK), click HERE
