Harn Museum
The Harn Museum of Art is named in honor of Samuel Peebles Harn (1893-1957), whose widow, three daughters and their husbands and grandchildren made the founding gift to the University of Florida for the museum's construction. The three generations pledged more than $3 million for the construction of a fine arts museum in 1983. Additional private gifts were raised, and public funding was secured. The Harn Museum of Art opened September 20, 1990.
In 2000, the David A. Cofrin family made a gift to fund an 18,000-square-foot addition. Current Harn Museum Director Rebecca Martin Nagy joined the staff in 2002 and led the Harn through the first major construction project since its opening. The addition of the Mary Ann Harn Cofrin Pavilion, named in honor of the daughter of the late Samuel P. Harn, opened in October 2005. A LEED-certified building, the Cofrin Pavilion features 6,500 feet of exhibition space for international contemporary art, the Camellia Court Café, an outdoor landscaped plaza with water features and the Goforth Learning Center, which is used for meetings, programs and educational activities. The Camellia Court Café is the first and only dining location for UF Cultural Plaza visitors and also adds additional space for special events.
February 6, 2008, Dr. and Mrs. David A. Cofrin made a commitment of $10 million to the University of Florida to fund the addition of a wing dedicated to Asian art. Planned for the northwest side of the museum, near the corner of Southwest 34th Street and Hull Road, the 26,000-square-foot addition will have Asian art gallery space, an upper level for curatorial and museum activities, and art storage and conservation space for the Asian collections. An Asian garden will be accessible from the galleries of the new wing.
The Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art promotes the power of the arts to inspire and educate people and enrich their lives. To this purpose the museum builds and maintains exemplary art collections and produces a wide variety of challenging, innovative exhibitions and stimulating educational programs. As an integral part of the University of Florida, the museum advances teaching and research and serves as a catalyst for creative engagement between the university and diverse local, state, national and international audiences.
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