Orlando Museum of Art facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Orlando Museum of Art

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Established	1924; 101 years ago (1924)
Location	2416 North Mills Avenue Orlando, Florida
Type	Art museum
Accreditation	American Alliance of Museums
Public transit access	125
Nearest parking	On site (no charge)

Orlando Museum of Art building and grounds

The Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) is a special place in Orlando, Florida, where you can explore amazing art! It's a non-profit organization that started way back in 1924. The museum's main goal is to help people discover their creativity, feel excited about art, and learn new things by connecting them with different artworks and fresh ideas.

Discovering Art at OMA

The Orlando Museum of Art always has something new to see. They show different art collections that change over time. Some art comes from other places, and some is from the museum's own collection.

Learning and Fun Activities

OMA also offers many fun programs for everyone. You can join workshops, art classes, and listen to talks about art. They also show films and give guided tours for both kids and adults. It's a great way to learn more about art and artists.

The Florida Prize in Contemporary Art

In 2014, the museum started a special art show called The Florida Prize in Contemporary Art. This show highlights cool and interesting artworks by new and established artists who live and work in Florida. It's a way to celebrate the amazing talent in the state.

Museum Standards

The Orlando Museum of Art is officially recognized by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). This means it meets high standards for how museums are run. It's also part of a program called North American Reciprocal Museums, which lets members visit other museums for free or at a discount.

A Look at OMA's History

The Orlando Museum of Art has grown a lot since it began. It started in 1924 as the Orlando Art Association. Later, its name changed to the Loch Haven Art Center in 1960. Finally, in 1986, it became the Orlando Museum of Art.

Early Beginnings and Growth

The museum began as a small group of artists who met to share their work. In the late 1950s, people in the community helped raise money to build a new art center. This building was finished in 1960.

OMA started collecting art in 1960. They received important American paintings by famous artists like Georgia O'Keeffe. The museum kept growing, adding new galleries, an auditorium, classrooms, and a library.

Expanding Collections

During the 1970s, OMA received a large collection of art from ancient American cultures. They also added African art and started their collection of modern American prints.

In 1985, the State of Florida recognized OMA as a "major cultural institution." This showed how important the museum had become. In 1997, the museum expanded to its current size, making it even bigger for more art and visitors.

Recent Events

In 2022, there was an investigation about some paintings in an OMA exhibition. These paintings were said to be by an artist named Jean-Michel Basquiat. The exhibition was called Heroes & Monsters. People questioned if the paintings were real. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) looked into it. The exhibition closed early, and the FBI removed the paintings. After this, the museum's director left the museum.

OMA's Art Collections

The Orlando Museum of Art has over 2,400 art pieces! These include:

• Modern and contemporary art
• American art from the 1700s to 1945
• Art from ancient American cultures
• African art

The collection of art from ancient American cultures is one of the best in the southeastern United States.

Future Artworks

In 2018, OMA announced that it might become the permanent home for many paintings by a Belgian artist named Louis Dewis. The museum showed a small preview of his work in 2018. A larger exhibition of his paintings was held in 2019.

Florida Prize in Contemporary Art Exhibition

The annual Florida Prize in Contemporary Art is one of the most exciting exhibitions at the Orlando Museum of Art. It helps bring attention to talented artists in Florida. Each year, the museum's art experts choose 10 artists from across the state to participate. One artist receives a $20,000 award.

Honoring Florida Artists

The artists chosen for the prize are often new or mid-career artists. Many have already shown their work in important exhibitions around the world. They are artists who explore big ideas about art and culture in new and exciting ways. By 2022, this exhibition had helped 80 Florida artists gain more recognition.

The Florida Prize show brings together artists with different backgrounds and styles. It gives a look at the lively art scene in Florida.