Photos by Stephanie Klein-Davis | The Roanoke Times

"It's not a question of whether Roanoke should be proud. Virginia should be proud. Roanoke has established itself as a world-class destination with this museum," said Alex Nyerges, director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, who attended Friday night's gala.

Couples dance during Friday night's gala at the Taubman Museum of Art. Tickets to the gala went for $250 apiece.

Men in tuxedos and women in designer gowns nibbled sushi, sipped wine and danced to music by Big Ray and the Kool Kats at Friday night's opening gala for the $66 million Taubman Museum of Art.

The new museum was packed for the sold-out event, for which people paid $250 apiece. Approximately 1,200 people attended, by the museum's count.

People drifted in and out of the nine art galleries and milled around in the upstairs hallway and the glass atrium for hours, making movement difficult.

No one seemed to mind, however, as impromptu conversations took root all over the place. One of the most popular locations was the top of the stairs, which afforded a nighttime view of the atrium, the H&C Coffee sign, the Dr Pepper sign and the Mill Mountain Star, which seemed lit up just for the occasion.

"It's incredible tonight. See our city?" said Beth Pline, executive director of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, admiring the sight.

The event drew not only a wide swath of Roanoke's art-loving society, but curious visitors from outside the region. One was Alex Nyerges, director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, which is working on a multimillion-dollar expansion project of its own.

"In a single word: fantastic," said Nyerges, when asked for his opinion of Roanoke's new museum. "It's not a question of whether Roanoke should be proud. Virginia should be proud. Roanoke has established itself as a world-class destination with this museum."

"World-class" proved a popular description Friday night. "It's a world-class facility, isn't it?" marveled Mark Sutter, editor of the Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area in Greensboro, N.C. "This could be in the biggest city in the country."

Locals who have seen the museum rising seemed a bit less dazzled, though the words "wonderful" and "stunning" were often repeated.

"We're very lucky to have it," said Pedro Szalay, artistic director of the Southwest Virginia Ballet, which performs at the museum this weekend.

"It is even more beautiful than I thought it would be" said Roanoke artist Misty Sweet.

Museum supporter Sheila Strauss had the longest list of superlatives: "It's awesome. It's stunning. It's gorgeous. It's spectacular."

"I think it's a great omen of great things to come for Roanoke," former Roanoke City Councilman Rupert Cutler said.