The Cummer Museum: An Eclectic Mix of Early and Contemporary Art

Located in the historic Riverside area of Jacksonville, the 48-year-old Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is a cultural landmark of Northeast Florida. Visitors of all ages are awed by the hushed beauty of its permanent collections, the quiet echoes of its polished marble floors and its bountiful natural surroundings.

Like many public museums, the Cummer, as it is known locally, owes its existence to patrons, and the most significant of these is a single Jacksonville family.

Located on the banks of the wide St. Johns River, the Museum originated as a generous gift to the city by the Cummer family in 1961.

Mrs. Ninah Cummer's donation of sixty pieces of art has blossomed into a collection of nearly six thousand pieces, spanning eight centuries of artistic treasure. The benefactor family gave more than art to the Museum. They bequeathed their home and two acres of riverfront property. The grand home has evolved into the museum proper and the grounds have been transformed into beautiful Italian-style gardens, complete with statuary, fountains and shaded marbled benches. The family legacy is memorialized with a separate museum area preserving the sitting room of Mrs. Cummer.

Today, the Cummer Museum presents an eclectic mix of early and contemporary art, buttressed by a permanent collection of 19th century art, Japanese woodblock prints and Meissen porcelain. Separate American and European collections include thousands of notable artwork representing American Regionalists such as Hart Benton, Hudson River landscape painters, Impressionists of the Ashcan School including Childe Hassam, and a healthy holding of British landscape artists and portraitures.

Special exhibits on display during the summer of 2009 include works by Paul Jenkins, American Abstract painter, and a collection of boldly-colored, handmade quilts crafted by the women of Gee's Bend, Alabama.

The Art Connections section of the Museum is an interactive and fun-filled center designed to attract the attention of children with its hands-on activities. The huge success of Art Connections earned the Museum the ranking of one of the top child-friendly museums of 2006. A regular schedule of classes for youth and adults as well as in-school educational programs keeps the Cummer integrated into the local community.

Professional groups hold lectures and presentations at the Cummer's modern Hixon auditorium, and elegant receptions are hosted in the Uible Loggia of the Museum. Free Tuesday tours, a concert series and caf night all act to make the Museum a vital cultural resource of North Florida and beyond.

The Cummer's accessibility standards have earned the museum accolades for Best Practices in Access and opened the Museum to all, regardless of ability. Its involvements include partnership with organizations such as Women of Vision and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, "Touch Tours" for individuals with visual impairments and wheelchair accessibility.

After touring the Cummer, visitors can relax with coffee or tea at the Tree Cup or browse the Museum gift shop for an art book or special souvenir of the Museum's holdings. The unique assortment of gifts makes this a perfect source for the holidays and special occasions.

Elegance and vitality mark the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, making it the standard-bearer of cultural wealth for North Florida.

DETAILS:

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 829 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204; 904-356-6857.

Hours of Operation:

• Closed Monday and Major Holidays
• Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM (Free admission starting at 4PM)
• Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Sunday: Noon - 5:00 PM