CF Appleton Museum of Art Unveils Gifted Works in New Exhibition

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, presents “Transformational Gifts: Recent Acquisitions (2019-2024),” on view Oct. 19, 2024-Feb. 2, 2025.

More than 99% of the Appleton’s encyclopedic collection consists of gifts, including 6,000 works donated in just the last five years. These generous gifts of art enrich the cultural and educational landscape of our community and come from a variety of sources, beginning with Arthur I. Appleton and continuing through contributions from institutions, collectors and community members. With a collection now exceeding 24,000 world-class works, the Appleton serves as a bridge, connecting individuals to diverse cultures and histories from around the globe. The collection spans centuries and continents, featuring an expansive range of art and artifacts from ancient to contemporary.

“Transformational Gifts” features approximately 200 recent additions, acquired between 2019-2024. The works span a vast 5,000 years, with notable names such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Charles Ephraim Burchfield, Ansel Adams, Jim Dine, Louise Nevelson, Käthe Kollwitz, Joan Miró, James Rosenquist, Genryusai Seiya, and many others.

“Gifts make up the very fiber of the Appleton Museum of Art,” said Jason Steuber, Appleton director. “The museum was established in 1982 with Arthur I. Appleton’s foundational collection of about 5,000 works, and the museum itself was built on 44 acres of land donated by the City of Ocala. Over the years, generous donations and acquisitions have grown the collection exponentially, and we’re excited to present these important works on view at the Appleton for the first time. We invite the community to explore how these gifts continue to enrich the present while shaping the future.”

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program. Free First Saturdays are supported in part by CAMPUS USA Credit Union, Marion Cultural Alliance and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.