Last updated: 8/3/2020
231 West Packwood Avenue
Maitland, FL 32751
Sunday, Thursday - Saturday
12 PM - 4 PM
Sunday, Tuesday - Saturday
11 AM - 4 PM
Sunday, Thursday - Saturday
12 PM - 4 PM
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Jennifer Grozio
phone:
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Danielle Thomas
phone:
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Randall Webster
phone:
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The Art & History Museums, Maitland operates the Maitland Art Center, Waterhouse Residence Museum, Carpentry Shop Museum, Telephone Museum, and Maitland Historical Museum. The Maitland Art Center was founded as an artist colony in 1937 by Jules Andre Smith and has grown into a cultural hub for Central Florida. The Maitland Art Center offers art instruction, exhibits, and public programming in an unequaled architectural environment. The Waterhouse Residence Museum offers a glimpse into Florida Victorian life as docents guide visitors through the home of one of Maitland’s founding families, the Waterhouses. The Carpentry Shop Museum is one of the few antique tool museums in the Southeast and honors traditional woodworking through not only an extensive collection of woodworking tools, but also a hands-on experience for visitors. The Telephone Museum has a nationally significant collection of telephone technology from 1910 to present that tells the story of telephony both locally and nationally. The Maitland Historical Museum explores the history of Maitland as an example of a small city founded on the importance of education, cultural amenities, and natural beauty. The historical museums offer a variety of educational programming for children and adults and feature a series of changing and permanent exhibits including the We Make History Community Gallery that celebrates local residents’ stories and collections.
The Corporation engages the public by educating, collecting, preserving, interpreting, exhibiting, and promoting art and history reflective of the American experience inspired by Maitland’s heritage and the legacy of André Smith’s Research Studio. Through our multidisciplinary collections, unique architectural environment, and inspirational programming, the Corporation stimulates thought, sparks the imagination, enriches the spirit, and fosters appreciation in art, historical studies and research, and preservation.
With unique architecture, beautiful gardens, quality exhibits and programming, and with two sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Art and History Museums, Maitland (A&H) formed in May 2010 with the merger of the Maitland Art Center and the Maitland Historical Society, together provide unparallel offerings to the community as a single entity. With a combined 80 years of service, these facilities are at the very core of Maitland’s sense of place.
The largest and oldest of the two merged entities is the Maitland Art Center, formerly known as the Research Studio, founded in 1937 by visionary artist and architect J. André Smith (1880-1959), and benefitted from the generous financial support of philanthropist Mary Curtis Bok. MAC was a lively colony that hosted artists of national prominence, including Milton Avery, Ralston Crawford, Doris Lee and many others. In 1969, the City of Maitland acquired the MAC whose buildings are an example of “Mayan Revival” architecture, one of the few in the Southeastern U.S. MAC is home to a number of significant collections, including the artworks of its founder.
The second entity, formerly known as Maitland Historical Society originated in 1970 as a result of a Maitland’s Women’s Club initiative to preserve Maitland’s history that evolved into incorporation formerly known as the Maitland Historical Society. Early members of the Society began collecting priceless stories and artifacts from local pioneer families and in 1977, the Maitland Historical Museum opened its doors. As the Society grew, it opened three additional museums to better serve its goal of bringing Florida history to life. The Society opened the Telephone Museum, a museum detailing telephone technology through the years, in 1982. In 1992 the Society’s greatest treasure opened to the public. The Waterhouse Residence Museum is an impressive example of Florida living in the Victorian period. In 1994, the Society added the Carpentry Shop Museum as a supporting piece to the home and a hands-on antique tool museum.
The Maitland Art Center campus is also home to a permanent collection of visual art starting with primarily works by founder, André Smith However, over the years 114 new acquisitions have been made and the collection now holds a small assortment of work by the Bok Fellows and local artists. It is the intention of A&H to form an acquisition committee whose primary responsibilities are to grow the collection, by acquiring works by founder and artists J. André Smith.
Quarterly Art School sessions with classes & workshops for adults, with mediums including sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting, encaustics, and more.
Children’s programming including Culture Camp; Hats, Tea & History; Carpentry Crew; outreach in schools; art workshops; and more.
Quarterly changing exhibits in five museums: Maitland Art Center, Maitland Historical Museum, Telephone Museum, Waterhouse Residence Museum, and Carpentry Shop Museum
Art & history programming related to exhibitions
Tours of the National Historic Landmark campus
Working artist studios open to the public, through Artist-in-Action program (local artists with year-long studio space on campus) and Artist-in-Residence program (3-9 weeks of living & working on campus)
Auditoriums
Lecture Halls
Performance Areas
In 2010, the Executive Committee spent 7 months reviewing and revising the Art & History Museums, Maitland five year strategic plan covering FY2011-FY2016. The Board of Directors a new and integrated Board representing members of the Maitland Historical Society and the Maitland Art Center adopted the plan in February 2011. The A&H will regularly review and adjust its Strategic Plan.
Plans for expansion and a capital campaign are in the future. A&H will embark on a master planning and capital campaign project to expand facilities to increase program offerings. A major focus of this plan will be to increase exposure of our hidden location and create a pedestrian friendly connection between our two campuses. A $1 million donation from the Morgan Group provides a solid foundation for the capital campaign.
Access: General Public, Students, Scholars, Members
Appointment required: Yes
Gift Shop
Special Event Rental
Group Tours
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