Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College
With a diverse exhibition schedule, dynamic event calendar, and comprehensive educational programming, you will find The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College is truly more than an art museum.
One of the Top 10 Art Museums in Florida
Don’t let The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College’s free price tag fool you. Named as one of the Top 10 art museums in Florida and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, this Central Florida museum features an extensive permanent collection of contemporary and modern art, as well as an impressive array of Pre-Columbian, Asian, European and American Decorative Arts.
Come back each time you visit Central Florida. Around 20 exhibitions rotate throughout its nine galleries each year, and it remains home to rare 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints, as well as ceramic plates made by Pablo Picasso that still bear his masterful tomato-sauce stains. There is even an outdoor garden, which showcases permanent sculptures.
Insider Tip: Be sure to check out the Museum’s outdoor sculpture garden; it includes a living wall.
The Shop
Located just inside the Hollis Gallery at the entrance to The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College, The Shop at the museum features a multitude of unique gift items including art, books, ceramics, children’s items, jewelry and more.
Art-o-Mat Machine
One of our favorite pastimes when visiting the museum is purchasing orginal art from the Art-o-Mats. Once old cigarette machines, the now pack-free devices distribute original artworks in exchange for a special token, which can be purchased at inside The Shop.
Free Family Fun Workshops
Vacations are all about having fun and learning, and when you can do that for free, well, you simply must. The first Saturday of every month at 10:30 a.m., workshops are led by experienced art educators and give you and your family the opportunity to create your own artwork together. Admission to the museum is free every day.
This Lakeland museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays – and hours of operation vary by season, so be sure to plan ahead.
