▁began ▁to ▁ac quire ▁a ▁permanent ▁collection ▁as ▁the ▁University ▁transferred ▁many ▁of ▁its ▁art ▁pieces ▁to ▁the ▁museum . ▁In ▁recognition ▁of ▁its ▁growing ▁collection ▁and ▁its ▁expand ing ▁programming , ▁the ▁Gallery ▁became ▁the ▁American ▁Alliance ▁of ▁Museum s ▁acc red ited ▁Mary ▁and ▁Le igh ▁Block ▁Museum ▁of ▁Art ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁Block ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁a ▁major ▁reconst ruction ▁project ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁re open ed ▁in ▁a ▁new ▁facility ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁Block ▁Museum ▁is ▁dedicated ▁to ▁present ing ▁programs ▁and ▁exhib itions ▁that ▁reson ate ▁with ▁the ▁curr icul um , ▁research ▁and ▁teaching ▁areas ▁of ▁North western ▁University ▁and ▁are ▁relevant ▁to ▁student , ▁local ▁and ▁regional ▁aud ien ces . ▁ ▁The ▁Block ▁Museum ▁of ▁Art ▁en rich es ▁teaching ▁and ▁learning ▁on ▁the ▁camp uses ▁of ▁North western ▁University ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁communities ▁of ▁their ▁surrounding ▁regions ▁by ▁present ing ▁art ▁across ▁time , ▁cult ures , ▁and ▁media ; ▁conven ing ▁inter dis cipl inary ▁discuss ions ▁in ▁which ▁art ▁is ▁a ▁spring board ▁for ▁expl oring ▁issues ▁and ▁ideas ▁and ▁collect ing ▁art ▁that ▁supports ▁the ▁North western ▁University ▁curr icul um . ▁ ▁The ▁museum ▁also ▁comm issions ▁new ▁work ▁by ▁artists ▁to ▁fost er ▁connections ▁between ▁artists ▁and ▁the ▁public ▁through ▁the ▁cre ative ▁process . ▁Each ▁year , ▁the ▁Block ▁mount s ▁exhib itions ; ▁organ izes ▁and ▁hosts ▁lect ures ,