I have a button in my souvenir drawer that says, “Art Is Wrong!” I don’t know what that means, but it was cool to wear as part of the button fad of the ’70s. Maybe some guy named “Art” was a public figure back then and he was wrong. Being in my 70s, the ’70s is too far back to remember.

As part of our Rediscover the Lehigh Valley initiative, I toured the Allentown Art Museum and discovered that art is definitely not wrong.

Art is difficult to define, at least by dictionary standards. Definitions range from the mundane (“one of the humanities”) to the vaguely esoteric (“the quality, production, expression, or realm of things that conform to accepted aesthetic principles of beauty, show imagination and skill, and have more than ordinary meaning and importance”).

If you want to know what art is, visit the Allentown Art Museum, where you will find examples of whatever you might consider art to be. Admission and parking are free, and you will walk away with a genuine appreciation for artistic talent in all its forms.

Since its beginning during the Great Depression in 1934, led by Walter Emerson Baum, the museum has showcased local artists. In the early ’60s, gifts of Renaissance and Baroque paintings elevated the museum to a new level. As the number and importance of exhibits grew, so did the building. Over 20,000 works of art beckon the community to experience nearly 2,000 years of cultural heritage in an accessible and visitor-friendly environment.

Art at the museum is not just something you can view in a frame; you can hear it, sit on it, reminisce over it, wonder at it, and create it. You can decide for yourself if pouring paint on a canvas is as expressive as Gordon Parks’ LIFE magazine covers or the groovy fashion statements of the ’60s. Travel halfway around the world with former Chinese prisoner Ai Weiwei’s Golden Age exhibit of human rights-themed wallpaper. See how some art makes a statement about culture, while other pieces seem to make no sense at all.

A leisurely tour of the Allentown Art Museum’s three floors, many galleries, and even the restrooms, is a broad tour through time, history, and geography, as well as a penetrating look into the hearts, minds, and spirits of the artists. You may even form a bond with the artist whose work resonates with your spirit.

If you feel inspired yet uncomfortable with an artist’s palette and brush, you will be pleased to know that art has been created using salt, vinegar, Miracle-Gro, thread, pebbles, copper printing plates, and just about every non-esoteric medium you can find within your reach.

Art does not have to be static. Carefully placed wires, bells, and other objects can ring out a feeling when touched or tickled by the wind. You don’t have to be static, either. You can walk around the artistic and often religious sculptures, admiring the fine detail and historical significance of a three-dimensional glimpse into the artist’s imagination.

There are designated times for meeting artists as well as opportunities for families to create art, explore in a sensory-friendly atmosphere, and learn how to make art at home with vegetables!

From Rembrandt and the Old Masters to activist chalk artist Keith Haring, from the Lehigh Valley to the ends of the earth, the Allentown Art Museum brings the world of beauty and meaning to your neighborhood. As a bonus, their pledge to you is “Free Admission for All, Forever.”

Because of the limitations of words on paper and a limited memory, and the nature of changing exhibits, the best way to live the AAM experience is to visit Allentownartmuseum.org to plan your day and leave your preconceived notions of “art” behind!

315 North 5th Street,

Allentown, PA 18101

Website: allentownartmuseum.org

Phone: 610-432-4333