Jessie Otto Hite Never before have we had a building that bore our name.
We used to have the permanent collection in the Ransom Center
and our temporary exhibitions in the art building.
Not an ideal situation.
This is the first time we've really had a building that was designed to show the kind of art that we have.
We have a wonderful staff who oversees the safety of the collection.
There were six teams working. Some of them were working on moving the objects in.
Some of them were working on uncrating the collections in the gallery.
Some of them were working on hanging the collections.
It was a very well managed process.
Johnny King I'm a painter [laughs] so in order to make a living while I'm painting, I hang other people's work.
There's a set of instructions that have traveled with the show that encompasses everything from beginning until end.
Here you have the hooks with the bones that we're hanging now.
It helps to get it exactly the way the artist wants it.
In this case, we couldn't ask for anything better.
Patrick Sheehy You done with those wire cutters?
Can you pass them through the bones?
Logistics... Weight is a big issue.
These supports, these I-beams in the ceiling had to be put in during construction.
Johnny King We were initially working with a large lift to get all the cables hung and to get the frame hung
And now comes the fun work with the bones.
Worker I'm gettin', like, bone marrow in my eye. [laughs]
Patrick Sheehy Five crates of bones, and it's 2,000 bones.
When the hosts are up, we'll put up the blocks around the outer edges, and we'll start spreading out the pennies.
Patrick Sheehy 600,000 pennies. $50 bags.
Johnny King $6,000 worth of pennies.
Workers Oh, that's perfect. That's perfect.
Patrick Sheehy It's Meireles, and it's "How to Build a Cathedral"
[Applause]
Jessie Otto Hite We were opened on time, we had 13,000 people in 24 hours.
We had thought the top number for the 24 hour opening was probably 5000 people.
So it way, way, exceeded our expectations.
People keep saying "Aren't you tired?" "Don't you feel stressed out?"
It was a little stressful, but it was fun. We had waited for this for a very long time.
It was just wonderful. It was probably the single most rewarding day of my career.
Jessie Otto Hite We own about 17,000 works, and the jewels of the collection are up.
This is the time to come see the Durer's and Rembrandt's and Whistler's, and all of the fabulous treasures we have.
A museum is a place to come to learn, for a social occasion with friends,
It's a place you can come for that quiet, contemplative moment
when you need to just get away from everything and kind of recharge.
We're a wonderful front door for the university, a wonderful bridge to the community.
The door is open, and people seem to be coming, so we're thrilled.