 |
| The original building was an old church on Walnut. |
Happy birthday to us! Today, Polk Museum of Art celebrates
its 46th year. We’ve come a long way …
The Museum was officially incorporated as the Youth Museum
of Imperial Polk County on June 21, 1966, and opened for business in a small
church building at 115 Walnut Street on December 11, 1967. At first, volunteers from the Junior Welfare
League (now Junior League), Junior Woman’s Club of Lakeland, Junior Sorosis
Club and Keyettes at Lakeland High “staffed” the Museum. The first director was
hired in October 1968.
 |
| In 1970, the Museum moved into a former Publix on Palmetto Street at College Avenue. |
The name was changed to Polk Public Museum at Lakeland:
Science, History and Art, Inc. in 1968 and then shortened to Polk Public Museum.
In 1970, the Museum moved into a former Publix Super Markets building on
Palmetto Street. Eventually, the Board settled on a fine arts focus and on June
13, 1985, renamed the Museum for the last time:
Polk Museum of Art.
 |
| The Museum's current building opened in 1988. |
The current building – a work of art in itself with soaring
16-foot ceilings and marble-tiled floors -- opened to the public in 1988. It
was constructed for $5 million and opened debt-free.
No comments:
Post a Comment