SYRACUSE, NY.- The Everson Museum of Art’s landmark I.M. Pei-designed building is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The Everson’s 60,000 square foot facility opened in 1968 and is internationally acclaimed architect I.M. Pei’s first museum design. The building is constructed out of concrete blended with local granite and its unique sculptural design breaks the mold of traditional museum architecture.

I.M. Pei is regarded as one of the most influential and most sought-after modernist architects because of his innovative, geometric designs. Beyond the Everson, Pei has designed numerous iconic buildings throughout his career including the glass pyramid at the Louvre, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Gallery of Art East Wing.

“For 50 years, our one-of-a-kind arts venue has stood as a work of art to house art,” said Elizabeth Dunbar, Director and CEO of the Everson Museum of Art. “We are excited to celebrate our facility’s milestone anniversary and bring 50 more years of meaningful encounters with art and architecture to all those that visit the museum.”

The Everson houses more than 10,000 artworks, including American paintings, sculpture, drawings, video, graphics and one of the largest holdings of international ceramics in the nation. It was the first museum of its kind to dedicate to collecting American art, the first to establish a program dedicated to video art and the first to collect and exhibit ceramics as fine art. The Everson has showcased numerous notable first solo exhibitions, including Yoko Ono, Joan Mitchell, Marilyn Minter, Sturtevant, Bill Viola and many more.

“Our museum is committed to showcasing the works of emerging and under-recognized artists,” said Dunbar. “Throughout our history, we have proudly helped launch the careers of many artists by providing generous community access to their unique and thought-provoking works.”

The Everson marked its facility’s 50th anniversary with a sold-out gala held in the museum’s galleries. The performative and interactive event was directly inspired by the museum’s iconic architecture and featured two live performances by Bay Area-based BANDALOOP, a vertical performance and aerial dance company. The museum also announced the launch of it’s The Everson. First and Forever. comprehensive fundraising campaign with a $17 million goal.