Hibel Museum of Art facts for kids
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| Established | 1977 |
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| Dissolved | 2015-2018 |
| Location | Florida Atlantic University, 5353 Parkside Dr, Jupiter Florida |
| Type | Art Museum |
The Hibel Museum of Art was a special place on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter, Florida. It was dedicated to showing the beautiful paintings, prints, and other art created by an artist named Edna Hibel.
This museum was more than just a place to see art. It also hosted different art shows, fun public events, and educational programs for people to learn about art. Plus, it held Edna Hibel's own collection of art books.
Contents
A Look at the Museum's History
The Hibel Museum first opened its doors in 1977 in Palm Beach, Florida. It started by showing art from the Ethelbelle and Clayton B. Craig collection. These two art lovers began collecting Edna Hibel's work in 1961 after meeting her in Rockport, Massachusetts.
They wanted to create a museum to keep many of Hibel's artworks together. This way, students, experts, and fans could all enjoy and study her art. The museum's collection grew over time. It received donations of small, decorative bottles from the Caldwell Family, along with more of Edna Hibel's art, dolls, and sculptures.
Moving to a New Home
The museum moved a couple of times. In 1999, it temporarily relocated to Lake Worth, Florida. Then, in 2002, it found its final home on the Florida Atlantic University campus.
The building for the museum was designed by Kha Le-Huu and Partners. Construction started in 2001. Edna Hibel herself contributed $900,000 towards the building, with some extra money from the state.
Why the Museum Closed
The Hibel Museum closed its doors in 2015. This happened because of a disagreement between the Edna Hibel Art Foundation and Florida Atlantic University.
Edna Hibel had given $900,000 to the university. In return, the museum had a special agreement for a very low-cost lease for forty years. However, after Edna Hibel passed away in 2014, things became unclear for the museum's staff.
In July 2015, a museum employee gave their key to the university. The university saw this as the foundation giving up the property. Because of this, and other reasons, the university ended the lease and asked the foundation to leave. The foundation said they had tried to get access to the museum but the university didn't respond.
What Happened to the Art?
In 2018, a judge decided that Florida Atlantic University could keep some of the artworks and other items from the museum. This was to help cover legal fees.
Today, the museum's collection is being sent to other places. For example, ten pieces of art were moved to the Wright Museum of Art at Beloit College.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de arte de Hibel para niños
- List of single-artist museums
