Wichita Art Museum celebrates 80 years with Summer Birthday Bash (VIDEO)

The Wichita Art Museum is turning 80 years old this year, and in some circles, oak is the traditional 80th anniversary gift.

It seems the museum is aware of that, as it plans on opening its art garden, which has been under construction for the past few months, in September.

The garden will feature more than 80 species of trees, shrubs and perennials, and museum officials are hoping it will become an outdoor gathering place for the community.

“We’re talking about concerts, possible croquet games, a whole roster of different things that’s going to happen out there,” said Patricia McDonnell, director of the Wichita Art Museum.

Construction is slightly behind schedule, said McDonnell, who had planned for an original completion date of Aug. 1. The grand opening of the new art garden isn’t scheduled until Sept. 26.

“We will easily make that date,” she said. “We might be scrambling a bit at the end, but I’m not worried. It’s coming along nicely.”

Fundraising for the garden is almost complete, she said – as of Saturday, the museum had raised about $3.3 million of the garden’s $3.6 million cost.

The last time the museum had a significant renovation was in 2003, when it added its cafe, gift shop and Great Hall. About 60,000 people visit the museum every year, McDonnell said.

And on Saturday, hundreds came out to celebrate at the museum’s Summer Birthday Bash – complete with a steel drum band from Wichita State University and free ice cream served by a host of volunteers, one of whom was Wichita City Council member Bryan Frye.

It was all Jediael Beals’ idea to come to the museum on Saturday.

As a burgeoning, self-described artist, the 9-year-old wanted to participate in the museum’s collaborative project – a collage of cornstalks based on John Steuart Curry’s 1933 painting “Kansas Cornfield.” The work was the first piece added to the Roland P. Murdock Collection in the museum.

“He wanted to come down here and see what activities were going on,” said Alan Abel, who added that he and Jediael also enjoyed the free ice cream. “I think cutting stuff out of paper is somewhat therapeutic.”

McDonnell said she hoped that by the end of Saturday it would be “a dense forest” of different kids’ creations.

The finished project will be hung outside the museum’s auditorium in the coming weeks.

This story was originally published July 18, 2015 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Wichita Art Museum celebrates 80 years with Summer Birthday Bash (VIDEO)."