The Tampa Museum of Art—A Vision for the 21st Century

For more than a century, the city of Tampa has progressively grown in its role as a center for the visual arts. The Students Art Club of Tampa was organized in May 1902, "to encourage and promote the study and appreciation of art in all its forms, among its members, in civic life and in the public schools and to cooperate with other art organizations in arousing public sentiment to the end that a public museum of art, representative of all Florida may be established."

In 1929, the Tampa Art Institute received its charter to operate as a nonprofit organization. The Tampa Art Institute thrived through the years and in 1958 opened an additional facility, the Tampa Junior Museum. In 1966, financial problems forced the closing of the Tampa Art Institute, but it was absorbed by the University of Tampa and reopened in 1967 as the Tampa Bay Art Center.

In 1974 the City of Tampa requested that the Arts Council of Tampa/Hillsborough County develop a plan for establishing an art museum for the city. In 1975 a plan was approved and a private/public partnership, the Tampa Museums Federation, was formed. The Tampa Bay Art Center and the Tampa Junior Museum opened in 1979 at 600 North Ashley Drive, where, in 1985, the two museums became the Tampa Museum of Art. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, a new Tampa Museum of Art is the cornerstone of the city's plans to create a cultural district.

The Tampa Museum of Art is home to an outstanding permanent collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, recognized as one of the finest of its kind in the Southeastern United States. Over 400 objects on exhibition illustrate artwork and artifacts of ancient Greece and Rome. The museum also offers a changing selection of exhibitions drawn from its permanent collection that includes artists like William Wegman, Jose' Bedia, Cindy Sherman, Betty Woodman, Therman Statom, Ralph Goings, Sandy Skoglund, Dale Chihuly, and Clyde Butcher. The Tampa Museum of Art's growing permanent collection of contemporary art comprises paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photography and studio glass. Special exhibitions are the most exciting part of a visit to the Tampa Museum of Art. Four times a year a major new exhibition is presented, offering visitors a balance of national, international and regional art experiences.

The museum's educational programs emphasize lifelong learning. Structured around special exhibitions, these programs include lectures, symposiums, films, lunchtime and evening programs and events for the entire family. Over 30,000 children and adults participate in museum education programs annually. The museum also offers a transportation endowment fund, allowing schools to request bus funding to enable classes to visit the museum. A team of 40 trained docents provides guided tours at all levels. Classroom materials are distributed with background information and suggested activities, while ArtPaks provide subject-based slide sets and study guides, and representative museum objects can be borrowed in advance of a tour.

To Learn More:

Visit the
Tampa Museum of Art at
600 N. Ashley Drive in Tampa, Florida.
For more information call 813.274.8130
or visit www.tampagov.net/dept_Museum/.