Mission Statement

The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB) at Florida Southern College is an academic and community museum that engages audiences of all ages with world-class exhibitions, programs, and experiences; the Museum offers avenues for lifelong learning and ways to see and reflect on our shared world through art and visual culture in new and innovative ways.

Vision Statement

The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB) at Florida Southern College will:

INSPIRE visitors of all ages to flourish through artistic engagement.

ENGAGE wide audiences in the world of art through exceptional exhibitions and diverse educational programs.

CELEBRATE the vast and exciting history of art while supporting the next generation of art lovers and arts professionals.

GROW as a cultural leader and cornerstone for its local and regional communities, while expanding its impact as a nationally- and internationally-recognized academic art museum.

FOSTER important conversations and increased understanding about our ever-changing world and our places within it.

History

The Junior Welfare League of Lakeland founded The Youth Museum of Imperial Polk County, an all-volunteer not-for-profit institution, in 1966. The first professional director was employed in 1968, and by 1969 the institution was renamed to the Polk Public Museum, which better reflected its emphasis on art, history, and science.

In 1970, the Board of Trustees purchased a vacant Publix supermarket building to double the Museum's exhibition and classroom facilities. Subsequently, the Museum staff began working with the School Board of Polk County to establish and sustain a curriculum-based art education program in alignment with Polk County Schools. The institution received its national accreditation as an art museum from the American Alliance of Museums in 1983. Thus, the name “Polk Museum of Art” was adopted, and planning for the new building began. The Museum’s current main building, designed by architect Ernie Straughn, was formally dedicated in September 1988.

In 2010, the Museum became a proud Smithsonian Affiliate, making it the only Smithsonian Affiliate fine art museum in Central Florida — as it still is to this day.

In 2016, the Museum celebrated its 50th anniversary as the largest and only nationally accredited visual arts organization in Polk County and a staple of the region’s culture. On June 1, 2017, the Museum affiliated with Florida Southern College to offer area students, faculty, and the community-at-large more opportunities to experience masterwork exhibitions, participate in academic programs of excellence as well as onsite internships, and conduct meaningful art history research. 

In 2022, the Museum announced a major expansion project, with a plan to add 14,000 additional square feet to the existing 1988 building. Construction began on the expansion in summer 2023 with an expected opening date in late fall 2024.   

In 2024, the Museum received a transformational gift in the form of an endowment from the Nicholas and Ashley Barnett Foundation at GiveWell and was officially renamed the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB) at Florida Southern College in honor of Ashley Barnett’s passion for the arts and service to the Museum on its Board of Trustees

With its free admission policy, underwritten by the generosity of strategic partners, members, and visitors who donate at the door, the Museum continues to advance its enduring mission and increase its services annually to the broadest range of citizens throughout Polk County and beyond. No other art museum in our region provides the same breadth and depth of fine art experiences in such a large geographic area.

Our Impact

  • Our permanent collection has grown to more than 3,400 works of art, including works by Rembrandt van Rijn, Andy Warhol, Faith Ringgold, Pablo Picasso, Miriam Shapiro, James Rosenquist, Barbara Kruger, Marc Chagall, Damien Hirst, Hung Liu and others.

  • We now house and display year-round themed exhibitions of Florida Southern College's museum collection of American figurative art, made possible by Florida Southern College Alumnus J. William Meek, III.

  • We tour 5,000 fourth grade students and host nine K-12 Student Art exhibitions annually.

  • The Museum's Mayfaire by-the-Lake was named the 20th best art festival in the nation by the prestigious Sunshine Artist Magazine.

  • Approximately 140,000 visitors come to the Museum annually to learn through works of art from across time and place.

The Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 Study was conducted by Americans for the Arts in collaboration and partnership with the Polk Arts Alliance and the Cultural Arts Council of Polk County in 2016 to report on the economic impact of arts organizations in Polk County. The results of that reporting can be found here at the Polk Arts Alliance website.