Appleton Museum of Art
The Appleton Museum of Art is an art museum located in Ocala, Florida. It is affiliated with and governed by the College of Central Florida and has been since 2004.
 | |
  Location within Florida | |
| Established | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Location | 4333 East Silver Springs Boulevard Ocala, Florida |
| Coordinates | 29.205349°N 82.076497°W |
| Type | Art museum[1] |
| Director | Jason Steuber |
| Website | www |
The Appleton Museum of Art houses a permanent collection of around 18,000 works including art and artifacts representative of European, American, Asian, African, Contemporary and pre-Columbian styles. It also displays certain exhibits on a temporary basis throughout the year. The museum collects works specifically from Florida artists and showcases history and progression of Central Florida culture.[2][3]
History
Business magnate Arthur I. Appleton and his wife, the former Martha O'Driscoll bought land in the Ocala area during the mid-1970s and established Bridlewood Farm, a thoroughbred breeding and training facility. Construction of the Appleton Museum of Art began in 1984 on 44 acres of forested land on East Silver Springs Boulevard in 1984. Under the guidance of Mr. Appleton and Museum Director, Moussa Domit, who brought a more cultured and experienced perspective, the building eventually opened to the public in 1987 as the Appleton Museum of Art. Built by more than 300 tradesmen from 130 companies, the museum is clad in 80,000 square feet of Italian travertine marble and the flooring consists of 15,000 square feet of Bolivian Capao Bonito granite. The marble and stone work was done by Antagon/Paleni of Montreal and the glass came from Pilkington Glass of England. [4]
In 1996, the Edith-Marie Appleton Wing, funded by and named after Arthur I. Appleton's sister, was constructed and in 2009 a 2,662-square-foot art storage facility was also added, bringing the museum's total overall size to just under 82,000 square feet.[4]
In 2013, the Appleton Museum of Art earned accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums.[5]
Museum Features
The Appleton Art Museum is located within the Appleton Cultural Center, a complex east of the city's downtown area, which it shares with the Ocala Civic Theatre. The museum's unique structural design is a work of art, in itself. The two-story travertine marble building is surrounded by a fountain and a long reflecting pool, and the surrounding landscaped grounds span 11.3 acres.[4]
The Appleton Museum of Art's impressive and diverse interior features include six art galleries, totaling several thousand square feet, and a 250-seat auditorium and cafe surrounding an open-air courtyard.[4]
Additionally, the Edith-Marie Appleton Wing includes four classrooms, one of which includes interactive video technology; an art library with over 2,000 art books and visual media; and an art workshop.[4]
Represented artists
The following artists, among others, have art displayed in the museum.[6]
References
- MuseumsUSA. "Appleton Museum of Art of Central Florida Community College", MuseumsUSA website, 2007. Accessed July 27, 2008.
- Appleton Museum of Art "Collections" Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Appleton Museum of Art website, 2008. Accessed July 27, 2008.
- Appleton Museum of Art; Myra Engelhardt (1987). The Appleton Collection. Ocala, Fla.: The Museum. OCLC 19089675.
- "History of the Appleton". College of Central Florida Appleton Museum of Art. Appleton Museum of Art/College of Central Florida. 2016. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- Callahan, Joe (28 August 2013). "Appleton Earns Accreditation from American Alliance of Museums". Ocala.com. Ocala StarBanner. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- "Permanent Collections". College of Central Florida Appleton Museum of Art. Appleton Museum of Art/College of Central Florida. 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
