Gallery-Wrap vs Museum-Wrap Canvas (A Simple Comparison: The Difference Between Gallery-Wrapped & Museum-Wrapped Canvases, & How To Choose Between Them)

What Is Gallery-Wrap?

When you see canvas wall art online or in stores, you’re most likely looking at prints or paintings on gallery-wrapped canvases.

A gallery-wrapped canvas is a type of stretched canvas that has been wrapped around the sides of a wooden frame (called stretcher bars), with the staples or tacks hidden on the back. You can see examples of gallery-wrapped canvases on Amazon.

Before gallery-wrapped canvases became popular, the staples could be seen on the sides of the stretched canvases.

There’s a common misconception that gallery-wrapped canvas must have sides that are 1.25 inches or more. But that’s not true!

Even the standard stretched canvases, which are typically 0.75 inches thick, are gallery-wrapped canvases if the staples or tacks are hidden on the back.

The depth of the stretcher bars has nothing to do with whether or not a stretched canvas is gallery-wrapped or not.

Gallery-wrapped canvases have a clean, finished look and can be hung without framing. This type of canvas is also easy to care for, as it does not require glass or matting.

Gallery-wrapped canvases also allow for the artwork or photo to be painted or printed on the sides of the canvas since there are no staples.

What Is Museum-Wrap?

A museum-wrapped wrapped canvas is a type of gallery-wrapped canvas in which the entire image to the front of the canvas and the sides are white or a solid color.

Here’s an example of Society6’s gallery-wrapped canvas print. The sides of the canvas do not have the image and are left white.

Gallery-wrapped canvases are an excellent option for both artists and photographers who want to display their work in a professional manner.

Is Gallery-Wrap Better?

Today when you’re shopping for canvas prints online, “gallery-wrapped canvas prints” will often be the term a store uses to describe a stretched canvas with the image displayed on the sides of the canvas as well as the front.

Meanwhile, “museum-wrapped canvas prints” will often be the term a store uses to describe a stretched canvas with the image displayed only on the front of the canvas, while the sides are kept white or another solid color.

So which is better?

Each style has its own benefits and it’s a matter of personal taste which one you choose.

A gallery-wrapped canvas print with the image on the sides (iCanvas) does tend to have a more complete look. It helps to create a cohesive design and can make the print appear larger than it actually is. However, if not done correctly, it can be distracting and take away from the overall look of the print.

Without the image on the sides, a gallery-wrapped canvas print can have a cleaner look. The focus is entirely on the image itself, which can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your preferences. If you want your print to be the center of attention, then this is the better option.

Overview: What Is the Difference Between
Gallery-Wrap and Museum-Wrap?

Gallery-wrap and museum-wrap are two popular choices for displaying artwork. But what is the difference between the two?

Gallery-wrap is a method of stretching an artist’s canvas so that the canvas wraps around the sides of the frame and the staples or tacks are hidden on the back. This gives the artwork a clean, finished look. But, today, stores often use the term “gallery-wrap” to mean that the image is displayed on the sides and front of the canvas.

Museum-wrap, on the other hand, is a type of gallery-wrapped canvas where the sides of the canvas do not display the artwork or photo and are left exposed (typically white) or painted a solid color. This gives the artwork a more raw and unfinished look.

So, which one is right for you?

It depends on your personal taste and the type of artwork you’re displaying in your home or office. If you want a clean, finished look, go with gallery-wrap. If you prefer a more raw and unfinished look, go with museum-wrap.