museum of art fort lauderdale

My friends and I recently visited the museum for the Frida Calo/Diego Rivera Exhibit and was terribly disappointed in the overall atmosphere of the museum and the presentation of the exhibit. For starters it felt as though the paintings (limited collection by the way) was being shown in a warehouse. What was most disturbing were the intimidating guards (underpaid - possibly fired TSA agents) who hovered over you as it you had broken in to the museum to steal the art. Each time you would attempt to read the illustration for the piece they would come over and tell you that you were standing too close to the piece. A big turnoff! I would not return to the museum unless there is an overhaul. Ever since the university took over the museum it appears to have gone downhill. What a disappointment.. Please don't even cal this a museum anymore! The $12 doesn't bother me -it was the lost time and the experience that was unfortunate.

Exhibit of Frieda Kahlo & Diego Rivera was very enjoyable. Permanent collection is small but interesting. Combine this with lunch at the museum or from food carts. I had a yummy taco.

There was an photo-exhibition of Martin Luther King. We live in Europe, in Finland, so it was something we had read only in our history books. Now everything cleared up.

Paid $12 each to visit two exhibits/galleries as these were the only ones open. Was extremely disappointed in how small the museum was. American Scene Photography and Highlights from the William J. Glackens Collection were the only galleries open and were rather small. I would not suggest visiting this museum.

Gee, I was looking forward to visiting this museum and the Rivera/Kahlo special exhibit, but it was less than I'd hoped for. It seemed too much of the work shown from River/Kahlo was portraits of Kahlo, hardly anything of Rivera's murals. A third of the museum is apparently under construction, so then one is primarily left with two other exhibits, one on photographs of the American Scene and the other the paintings of the "American Renoir."

I hadn't planned to visit the Art Museum but when I saw the signs for the special exhibit, I fit the museum into my sight seeing schedule. The museum itself was easy to find. I followed the signs for "Museum Parking" and got turned around and couldn't find the museum. Better signage would help. Parking was only $1.25 an hour and you can walk to Los Olas Blvd. The Kahlo exhibit was lovely and there was a nice mix of other artist too. The exhibit space felt spacious and airy. I visited on the second day of the exhibit and it was not crowded at all when I arrived. When I finished the Kahlo exhibit, a couple of school groups arrived but they were well behaved. I went to the second floor for the Glackins exhibit which included a recreation of a room from his home. I didn't spend too much time in the extensive photography collection. I really wasn't in the mood for reading all of the captions. When I arrived at the museum, I had planned to have lunch in the cafe. There were some interesting items on the menu that tied into the Kahlo exhibit. However, with all of the school kids, there wasn't any seating available. This is not a big museum, but it is bright and the exhibits were well presented.

Went to the newly opened Frida Kahlo exhibition and was delighted to also get a few amazing Diego paintings included. Great exhibition, great hall. Sadly no time to see the whole place, but definitely was worth the visit! :-)

We went to this little gem of a museum to see the spectacular Mexican Art exhibit of prominant early 20th centry artists and got an added treat. Fort Lauderdale collectors Stanley and Pearl Goodmans' wonderful collection of paintings includes works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Try to hook up with a docent to add depth to your viewing.The added treat was a selection of works from Martin Z. Margulies' photographic collection featuring works by Dorothea Lange, Ed Ruscha, Lewis Hine, Berenice Abbott and others. Absolutely wonderful.A very pleasant way to spend a cloudy day in the Fort Lauderdale area.

it was great, loved all the different art and sculptures, Very impressed with all they had to see and offer during my visit

We usually make a visit when they have a special exhibit.. Haven't see too many changes over the years with their 'permanent' exhibits. The star of the museum is and has always been the Wiilliam Glackens collection, superb body of work! The modern work here goes to extremes from wonderful to 'yikes' what is that? Nice for a rainy Sunday afternoon..

Although so much of Ft. Lauderdale seems played-out and sleepy, this museum is a pleasing exception!Its current exhibit featuring great street photographers like Lewis Hine, Helen Levitt, etc. is a delight. It also boasts a permanent exhibit of the work of realist painter William Glackens and, for awhile, "Cafe Dolly", a very cutting-edge surrealist exhibit. The building is pleasantly modern and boasts a cute cafe/bookshop. Art-lovers should definitely plan on visiting.

The museum is associated with Nova University and is a gem of a building with great gallery space. While there is a smallish permanent exhibit, the visiting exhibits are the key to how stimulating a visit will be. Some not-always-recognized names often bring a fresh look at subjects that are more widely recognized. In January, three impressionists [Knauble was the only name I remembered, but I fell in love with the quirky Picasia] I was unfamiliar with allowed me to recognize some progression that led to the paintings I often enjoy. There was also a tremendous exhibit of photographs from a private collection that documented much of the US... Well, for a tiny museum in a fantastic building, it is a prize. Admission is half what you usually are asked to contribute. AND, the gift shop is a treasure.

It's not one of the bigger, better art museums in the country but it's nice nonetheless. The shows tend to feature modern art and admission is reasonable.

Unique use of space, both in and out. Close to the well designed city library, park, Las Olas shopping and dining.Was happy to find a place to eat there too.

Thank you so much Ronn for your feedback, we're thrilled you enjoyed our Cafe Dolly exhibition. Hope to see you next month for our upcoming Frida Kahlo and Mexican Modern Art exhibition opening Feb. 26! Thanks again for visiting and taking the time to share about your experience.