The Nasher Museum of Art opened on the Duke campus in 2005 in a striking modern building by Rafael Vinoly — five low pavilions clustered around a soaring glass-roofed atrium. The collection is small but strong, with particular depth in contemporary art, African art, and pre-Columbian objects from Central and South America.
The Nasher's reputation rests on its ambitious touring exhibitions, which routinely punch well above the weight of a university museum — recent shows have spotlighted Wangechi Mutu, Beverly McIver, and the photographers of the New Negro Renaissance. Closed Mondays. Admission is reasonable; Sunday afternoons are free.