>> I HAVE HAD PEOPLE SAY DURING THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, AS
PEOPLE HAVE WALKED THROUGH, THEY HAVE BEEN TO MUSEUMS EVERYWHERE
IN THE WORLD, AND THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN A MUSEUM AS
BEAUTIFULLY ARTICULATED AS THIS. BOTH IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC
EXPERIENCE, AND THE PRESENTATION OF WORKS OF ART.
>> WE'RE NOT THE LARGEST COLLECTION.
WE'RE A SPECIALIZED PRIVATE COLLECTION, SO PEOPLE DON'T
EXPECT TO SEE EVERYTHING OF THE CLARK.
BUT, FOR THE COMBINATION OF SPECIAL INTERACTIONS WITH THE
PRIVATE COLLECTION, IN THE CONTEXT OF AN INSTITUTION, WITH
SERIOUS OF PURPOSE WITH ALL THE RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC FUNCTIONS
THAT WE HAVE, YOU TAKE THOSE THINGS AND PUT THEM INTO THIS
ARCHITECTURE AND THIS WONDERFUL 140-ACRE LANDSCAPE, AND IT IS A
UNIQUE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE, AND IT HAPPENS TO BE ONE THAT IS
AFFORDED FOR PEOPLE IN WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, QUITE EASILY, BUT
PEOPLE COME HERE NOW FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
>> WHEN ONE COMES HERE, THE FIRST THING IS TO APPRECIATE
THAT YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SPECTACULAR BERKSHIRE LANDSCAPE.
PEOPLE LOVE COMING HERE FROM THIS REGION AND BEYOND, AND WE
HAVE OVER 200,000 PEOPLE A YEAR, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THERE
IS ONLY 135,000 WHO LIVE WITHIN AN HOUR'S DRIVE, SO IT IS A
FAVORITE SPOT. WHAT THE PUBLIC MAY NOT KNOW IS
THAT IT'S A RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC CENTER AS MUCH AS IT IS
AN ART MUSEUM, AND WE -- WHILE WE STARTED IN THE 1950s AND
THE MUSEUM OPENED IN THIS BEAUTIFUL WHITE BUILDING IN A
SMALL NEW ENGLAND TOWN, WE EXPANDED IN THE 1960s, AND WE
GREW WHAT IS NOW ONE
OF
THE LARGEST ART HISTORY LIBRARIES IN
THE COUNTRY. >> WHEN YOU GO TO INSTITUTIONS,
HOWEVER, AND LOOK AT OBJECTS, YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE CULTURAL
PATRIMONY OF MAN. EACH OBJECT TELLS YOU ABOUT
HISTORY. THERE IS THE IMMEDIATE AESTHETIC
PLEASURE COMBINED WITH A KIND OF HEIGHTENED HISTORICAL
CONSCIOUSNESS THAT MUSEUMS OFFER, AND THAT WORKS OF ART
PROVIDE. PEOPLE INTERNATIONALLY ARE AWARE
THAT THE CLARK IS A JEWEL. AND THAT PEOPLE EVERYWHERE
SHOULD COME AND VISIT, SO I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT PEOPLE WHO,
ACTUALLY, LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT PART OF THEIR
OWN EXPERIENCE.