Reopened Art Gallery of Alberta draws 12,000

Almost 12,000 people streamed through the doors of the reopened Art Gallery of Alberta in its first four days.

The new building, designed by Los Angeles architect Randall Stout, opened to the general public on Sunday. About 10,000 people were allowed into the gallery on Sunday and Monday, through the use of timed tickets, which let 175 people in every 30 minutes.

The opening weekend numbers for the Edmonton institution also includethose who attendeda gala Jan. 29 anda ribbon-cutting and artists party the following day.

The art gallery offered free tickets through its website for the first two days of the opening.They were snapped up within 24 hours.

The old home of the Art Gallery of Alberta, formerly known as the Edmonton Art Gallery, was torn down to allow Stout's building to be built in the same location. The collections were displayed in a temporary location in Enterprise Square in downtown Edmonton while construction was underway.