Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

829 Riverside Avenue Jacksonville, Florida 32204

Hours

Open Tuesday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunday 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Closed Monday and major holidays including: 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day, as well as New Year's Eve & Day

Cost

Here are the costs associated with visiting Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens:

Adults: $20
Seniors (age 62+): $15
Students (6-17): $15
Children (5 and under): Free

Prices are subject to change; check their website for updates.

904-356-6857

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About

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens offers an intriguing blend of art, history, and nature, making it a popular destination in Jacksonville Beach.

The museum was built on the former homesite of founders Ninah and Arthur Cummer and opened its doors to the public in 1961. The Cummer family, who hailed from Cadillac, Michigan, were in the lumber business and moved to the Jacksonville area in 1896. While in Florida, the family grew the company and became pillars of society.

But the hero, or in this case heroine, of our story, is Ninah May Holden Cummer. She applied her studies of the arts and languages at the University of Michigan to her community-based philanthropy.

She began to amass American art from masters like Winslow Homer, George Inness, James McNeil Whistler, and Thomas Sulley. Ninah also collected memorabilia from her vast travels, such as sixteenth-century polyptychs, Old Master portraits, Russian icons, and lapis lazuli snuff boxes.

Ninah started the first Garden Club and many city parks in Jacksonville, while at home, she created lavish gardens. Today, the Cummer Gardens attract visitors like flowers do bees.

When Ninah passed away in 1958, she bequeathed her home, art, and gardens to the City of Jacksonville. Known today as the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Ninah's generosity continues to shine.

For these reasons, adding a visit to the Cummer Museum will enhance your vacation with art, gardens, and education.

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens: Fun Facts & Cool Features

When visiting the Cummer Museum, allow plenty of time to explore the vast collection. Art in the Permanent Collection includes pieces from the Baroque era, like Peter Paul Rubens' The Lamentation (c. 1605) and Theodoor Rombouts' The Concert (c. 1620.) But the art includes modern works, making the Cummer Museum appealing to all art enthusiasts.

The Wark Collection of Early Meissen Porcelain was donated in 1965 and is one of the world's three finest of its type. The collection encompasses more than 700 works produced by the Royal Saxon Porcelain Manufacture from 1708 to 1780.

While the museum houses distinct sculptures, the gardens feature a dazzling array of statues and ornaments. William R. Mercer, Jr. (1862–1939) crafted the most significant pieces, specializing in cast-concrete decorative ornaments. The Cummers purchased a pair of Byzantine-style bird baths with turtles for the English Garden and cast-stone pedestal urns and roundel for the Italian Garden.

Speaking of gardens, those at the Cummer Museum are revered worldwide for their beauty, pedigree, and diverse vegetation. Ninah and sister-in-law Clara created the Olmstead, the English, and the Italian Gardens and hired some of the world's leading landscape artists to bring their vision to life. With the backdrop of the St. Johns River, they are rich in color, light, and depth.

The facility's location makes it easy to make a day of visiting Jacksonville's top museums. The Cummer Museum is near the MOSH (Museum of Science and History) and MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), while delicious fare at places like Restaurant Orsay caps off the end of a perfect day.

So far, we've only scratched the surface of what is available at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. Visit and discover why it is one of the more popular attractions in Jacksonville Beach.

Getting There

Here are step-by-step driving directions to Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens from Jacksonville:

Head south on I-95 S from the center of Jacksonville.
Take exit 352D toward Forest St.
Merge onto Forest St. and continue straight.
Turn right onto Riverside Ave.
Continue on Riverside Ave for 1.5 miles.
Turn left onto Post St.
Take the first right onto Riverside Park Pl.
Address: 829 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32204

Local Tips

Check the website for Free Admission Days.
Visit the gift shop for unique gifts and presents.
Grab a snack or meal at the Cummer Cafe.
Visit the nearby Riverside Arts Market if you're there on a Saturday.

Location

829 Riverside Avenue Jacksonville, Florida 32204

Frequently Asked Questions

What's a recommended one-day itinerary in Jacksonville Beaches?

Start the day off along 3rd St. at Jax Beach Brunch Haus for everything from basic breakfast favorites to hearty brunch options and tasty brunch-tails that go way beyond mere mimosas. From JBBH it’s a short hop over to the Jacksonville Beach Golf Course for those looking to spend a day on the greens.

On the north side of 3rd St., step into Maple Street Biscuit Co. for coffee and their self-proclaimed biscuits that wow. After breakfast, walk to Jacksonville Beach’s extended pier. Enjoy a stroll out over the Atlantic Ocean, or watch anglers casting their fishing lines. This is a great way to enjoy fishing in the area, especially if you don’t have enough time to go out on a boat. If surfing is more your style, be sure to hit the waves. Atlantic Beach to the north is more apt for novice surfers, while swells near the Jacksonville Beach Pier can be more challenging as this is the area’s high-tide break.

For lunch, savor the region’s fresh seafood as restaurants in Jacksonville and across the First Coast proudly serve fresh Mayport shrimp. Take in the view at Dockside Seafood restaurant to satisfy your shrimp cravings. Or, try Palm Valley Fish Camp in Ponte Vedra south of Jacksonville Beach after visiting the famed TPC Sawgrass golf course.

Many people who visit Jacksonville Beach are simply asking, where can I go to relax? Consider Neptune Beach to the north, a less crowded beach with calmer waves and plenty of space to spread out. A stroll through Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is also a calm way to spend the day. If visiting downtown Jacksonville, the Riverwalk along St. John’s River provides ample walking space and benches to relax on while enjoying the view.

Wrap up the evening in Jacksonville Beach with the warm and elegant setting of Eleven South. This award-winning restaurant provides an exquisite fine dining experience to top off your day. For more casual fare, stop by TacoLu for fresh baja tacos and tequila with the essence of Florida.

Why is Jacksonville known as the First Coast?

People often refer to this part of northern Florida hugging the Atlantic Ocean as the “First Coast” (sometimes called the “Historic Coast”). Today, the First Coast moniker has come to represent it as the first coast in Florida that tourists visit when traveling southbound along the Atlantic seaboard. The name initially represented this area as the first part of Florida colonized by Europeans in the 16th century. Both the French and the Spanish settled into this part of northern Florida on lands of the Mocama and the Timucua. Further down the coast, St. Augustine was Florida’s first European settlement.

What are the biggest main events around Jacksonville Beach?

Jacksonville Beach welcomes visitors throughout the year to enjoy its wonderful weather and prime events. Each March, The Players Championship attracts golf aficionados from across the globe to our beckoning beaches.TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra has been home to The Players Championship of the PGA Tour since 1982.

If pigskin is more your style, Jacksonville is home to the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, so it’s easy to catch a game in season. Another highlight, though up in the sky over Jacksonville’s Naval Air Station, is the NAS Jax Air Show. Birthplace of the Blue Angels, the NAS Jax Air Show generally takes place mid-October each year (check the event site for upcoming dates and program changes).

Back on land, or rather in the waves, the Super Girl Surf Pro also hits Jacksonville Beach in the fall. Held at the Jacksonville Beach Pier, this is the world’s largest women’s surf, lifestyle, and music festival.

When your vacation plans include an adventure to Jacksonville Beach, you can be certain there’ll be plenty to see and do!