Experience Local : Boca Raton Museum of Art

Stay at home orders have begun to lift in various states and counties, including our very own Palm Beach County. While many of you may not be running back to your favorite spots to visit just yet, it important that we continue to celebrate this county for all of its hidden gems. With that said, Welcome to “Experience Local,” a new series where we will highlight some of Palm Beach County’s local places to visit! Let us give you the insight on local museums, restaurants, and various locations you must explore to ease back into pre-quarantine adventures.

This week’s pick for “Experience Local” is the Boca Raton Museum of Art, located in Mizner Park. Aside from its numerous shops and unique restaurants to try something new, Mizer’s biggest treasure is this museum located to the right of their Amphitheater. Once you find a free parking space in one of the four parking garages, you will find yourself walking towards a path leading you to the glass entrance of the museum. When you walk in, you are immediately greeted by the colorful walls filled with art and a friendly receptionist who briefly explains the exhibits and the museum map. Not only is this greeting welcomed with your very own sticker that serves as your ticket, but with free admission! (Valid until September 30, 2020)

The museum changes it’s exhibits every few months, two exhibits described are currently available until September 2020 and the other three are available until January 2021. Visitors are allowed to explore the two floors that display all five of the exhibits and even walk outside to the museums patio that consists of multiple sculptures. Now there is no need to fear when visiting the museum as they have instilled new visitor policies in response to the current pandemic. These policies include mandatory face masks, social distancing from other guests, and to be sanitarily responsible for the washing of your hands or using provided hand sanitizer. They have also changed their hours and listed more specific policies on their website: bocamuseum.org

The first extravagant exhibit is Edward Steichen’s “In Exaltation of Flowers,” which consist of paintings and the history behind each of his 10 ft tall floral murals. The second exhibit is “Works on Paper: Drawn from the Collection” which is very significant to the museum. There are over 75 works in the exhibition that come as donations from multiple foundations and donors of the museum. From Picasso to Matisse, these classic and vintage works of art will certainly catch your eye as you learn their individual significances. If you are more into photography and landscapes, this third exhibit titled “Solitary Acts’ by Janet Biggs is for you. You will find multiple works that target issues, such as climate change, that the artist illustrates through her photographs and performance art. “Eye to I” is the fourth exhibit which consists of multiple self-portraits, inspired by “selfies,” that explores American artists portrayal of themselves in various forms of art. The fifth and final exhibit is called “Maske” which illustrates multiple cultural and religious traditions documented by Phyllis Galembo.

Once you finish your final walkthrough of the museum, you find yourself struggling to decide what to buy from the beautiful gift shop. From books to toys to jewelry, there is always something to find for everyone in the family in this shop. As you can see, the Boca Raton Museum of Art has so much to offer for its visitors to enjoy safely. Take a trip down to Mizner Park and explore all it has to offer!