ARTS AND culture

“A world class symphony, nationally recognized museums, neighborhood community theaters and a wealth of professional artists combine to make cultural experiences that are both inspiring and accessible. At every level, from neighborhood venues to vibrant downtown attractions, people are invited to become a part of Jacksonville’s creative community.”
  - Robert Arleigh White, executive director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville

Visual Arts

Jacksonville offers access to world-class museum collections. The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is home to one of the most important Old Masters collections in the Southeast, featuring more than 5,000 pieces. Jacksonville’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is the largest contemporary art museum in the Southeast. The museum’s five spacious galleries display changing exhibitions by important national and regional artists and the museum’s permanent collection of paintings, sculptures and photographs created since 1945.

And we’ve taken art to the streets. The monthly First Wednesday Art Walk offers a free, self-guided tour of downtown galleries and museums, featuring original work from local, national and international artists and live music performances.

Performing Arts

The performing arts scene is alive and thriving in Jacksonville. The Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts is a state-of-the-art facility, complete with three distinct halls to accommodate a variety of performance arts. The FSCJ Artist Series brings quality entertainment to the facility, including traveling Broadway shows like this year’s featured performance of “Wicked.”

Founded in 1949, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra continues to affirm its place as one of the leading performing arts organizations in the Southeast and a vital part of cultural life in Northeast Florida. Widely recognized for its high artistic quality, the JSO ranks among the nation’s top 40 orchestras. As one of a handful of American orchestras with its own dedicated concert hall, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra performs the majority of its programs in the acoustically superb Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, the only true orchestra concert hall in Florida.

The Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum celebrates the rich legacy of the African-American community that thrived in LaVilla for more than 100 years. The theatre and museum are revered as the premier cultural institution in Jacksonville showcasing art, music, drama, poetry and African-American history. The stories and legends of LaVilla, known as the "Harlem of the South," live on within the walls of the refurbished museum and theatre. The Florida Theatre is a 1923 landmark building in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. It has hosted the who's who of music, dating back to Elvis Presley's first concert on an indoor stage in 1956.

The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena also welcomes big-name artists throughout the year, including Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and The Eagles. The arena is also home to major sporting events, including the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

Culture

The Museum of Science and History (MOSH) focuses on the knowledge of physical science, history, astronomy and natural science through exciting and educational exhibits, events and programs.

A true family adventure spot, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is home to more than 1,000 exotic animals. Added in the last several years was the largest jaguar collection in the United States, a fantastic giraffe exhibit and a brand-new Asian botanical garden, complete with Komodo dragons.