The Cummer Museum of Art + Gardens in Jacksonville has been on my list of “to visits” ever since I moved to the city, and I finally made a visit!
The Cummer Museum was founded in 1961 after the death of Ninah Cummer, who donated her gardens and personal art collection to create a new museum. It has since become a must-visit place for Jacksonville and popular place for weddings and events.
It’s nestled near downtown Jacksonville in the Riverside neighborhood along the St. John’s River – you have a lovely view of the river when you go out to the museum gardens.
Admission is $10 for adults, but the museum has special free admission days thanks to local sponsors, excluding special events. Parking is free. Free admission days are:
- Tuesdays from 4-9pm
- Fridays from 4-9pm
- First Saturday of the month from 11am to 4pm
- MLK Day, coming up soon, will also be a free admission day
There are so many different types of art in the Cummer Museum, and they have traveling exhibits so be sure to check their websites or social medias for the latest.
One of the current exhibits is the Rebecca Louise Law exhibit, which has dried flowers + nature things that hang down from the ceiling in a cascade of color. You’re not supposed to take a photo, but I didn’t know and accidentally took this one (oops).
The Cummer Museum has a range of artworks, from contemporary to classical to abstract – it’s like a pick your own adventure wandering around the museum.
There are also historical artifacts from Egypt and Greece, which was an unexpected surprise but very cool, along with Native American artifacts like pottery and baskets. My home state is Arizona and I am very familiar with the culture there, but I was excited to learn more about the Native American culture and history from Florida.
There was also an exhibit with artwork from Native Americans who were taken prisoner when the Europeans (Spanish and British) arrived and “claimed” the land.
Once you make it through the museum, you can make your way outside to explore the gardens. There are a variety of sculptures and a few beautiful gardens filled with flowers, and a lovely view of downtown Jacksonville.
If you’re new to the area or visiting Jacksonville, I think that the Cummer Museum is a good spot to learn a bit about the local and historical culture of the region. It’s also just a very relaxing spot to visit and I will probably be making frequent visits to the museum!
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Thank you for reading! Have you ever been to the Cummer Museum? Let me know in the comments below and like this post if you want more like it!
Xoxo’s
Emmalee
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Emmalee Mauldin 