The Mennello Museum of American Art is a great destination to check out local art in Orlando. The museum was founded with Old Master and French Impressionist paintings by Florida artist Earl Cunningham that were donated by the Mennello family. Since it was founded in what used to be a private residence in 1998, it has expanded the breadth of its exhibits to include other artists as well. It's worth checking out for the programs they offer, including a scavenger hunt for kids and evening workshops weekend events for families.
This piece of 1950s architecture is believed to be one of the best art museums in the South. Founded in 1924, the museum now consists of several permanent exhibits such as the American Collection, housing nearly 900 paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures from the 19th century onward; the Art of Ancient Americans Collection, boasting 500 artifacts of jade, gold and clay from Mexican, Costa Rican and Peruvian cultures; and an African collection of more than 70 artifacts, including masks, from various West African countries. OMA also hosts rotating exhibits.
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, located north of Orlando in the friendly town of Winter Park on the grounds of Rollins College, ranks as one of the country's best college art museums. The American Association of Museums has accredited the museum, and the museum includes more than 6000 artifacts and works of art ranging from Antiquity up to the 21st Century. Cornell Fine Arts Museum features permanent collections as well as various temporary traveling exhibitions that rotate throughout the year. Other features of the museum include workshops, films, lectures and interpretive sessions.
This sculpture collection is housed in a Mediterranean-style building that served as home to the renowned Czechoslovakian sculptor from 1949 until his death in 1961. Prior to his Florida retirement, Polasek had served more than 35 years as chair of the Chicago Art Institute's sculpture department. Visitors can stroll through three galleries and a three-acre sculpture garden, gazing on the master's paintings and his classical sculptures. The latter are heroic in style, chiseled with an attention to muscle and sinew reminiscent of Michelangelo's works.