Cooper Union Museum

A WNYC reporter interviews Dr. Richard P. Wunder, Assistant Director of the National Collection of Fine Arts of the Smithsonian Institution and Director of the Cooper Union Museum (later known as the Cooper Hewitt Museum). They discuss the permanent collection, which, at the time of the interview, was being transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, with plans to open a new museum uptown.According to Wunder, the collection primarily serves as a teaching tool for designers and other professionals who are "trying to solve problems in contemporary design." He argues that a commercial designer will find more success than someone hoping to build a career in the fine art world. He explains that the collection should inspire designers to create something new and that the museum is more concerned with an individual's experience rather than attracting a large number of visitors

The reporter asks Wunder for his impressions on the redevelopment of Park Avenue near Grand Central Terminal. Wunder argues that the Lever House was a well-designed forerunner in the area but that the surrounding imitation degrades and misunderstands this original design. They go on to discuss other trends in contemporary fashion, art, and commercial design.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 151853
Municipal archives id: T6029