What to Expect When Visiting the Lowe Art Museum

July 27, 2016

The Lowe Art Museum is a Miami favorite among locals that appreciate the art scene. Located in Coral Gables, the Lowe Art Museum is a University of Miami feature that is popular among students and locals. It’s one of the most affordable stops for art in the area with hours almost every day of the week. You can access it by bus or by driving to the University and seeking parking there.

The museum offers a variety of exhibits, both permanent and changing, along with special programs like the Newman Lecture Series and Lowe After Hours. Stop in for a special tour for adult groups, school groups, or even a self-guided tour. Then you can get involved by getting a membership or donating to the cause. Take a closer look at what you can expect when visiting the Lowe Art Museum.

Visiting the museum

The Lowe Art Museum is located at 1301 Stanford Drive at Coral Gables’s University of Miami. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday with hours as early as 10am and as late as 4pm, with a special opening time of noon on Sundays and the only day closed being Mondays or University holidays.

Simply take Bus 52 or 56 or drive on over to experience this exciting Miami museum. Admission is only $10 with special pricing for groups from the University, other college groups at $3 per student, $6 per student for K-12 Groups, or $6 per person if you do the tour and activity.

Tours last about an hour and allow you and your group to learn more about the museum with a guide than you’d find out just exploring on your own. If your group is larger, it will be split into smaller groups and groups of students will need an adult chaperone that will not be charged unless there is more than one. Adult group tours are only $5 per person. Schedule your tour online or by calling the museum and be sure to schedule it early since it will be cleared out fifteen minutes before close.

About the museum

The museum started back in the 1950s when three classrooms served as the museum for both residents and visitors. Due to a tremendous amount of support for the collections here, two philanthropists in the area gifted a museum facility that was free-standing to hold the exhibits of the Lowe Art Museum which opened to the public in 1952.

This actually made it the first art museum in South Florida which would feature over 17,000 objects in its collection. You’ll find a heavy emphasis on the Baroque, Renaissance, American, Native American, and Asian art.

What to expect

You’ll love taking a tour with the Education Department to help learn more about visual arts with the tour guides. You’ll find the visit to challenge you intellectually through critical thinking education. The tours are meant to be positive and offer questions to engage the group. Groups are led by trained volunteer guides for all ages.

The museum features the most comprehensive collection of non-western and western art that was designated as a Major Cultural Institution back in 1987. Along with their permanent collections, you’ll find changing collections that allow something new to be experienced with each visit.

The permanent collection features art from just about every part of the world from North America to Africa, South America to Asia. Current exhibits include “Blasted Allegories: Photography as Experience,” “Highlights from The Fairholme Unlimited Foundation,” and “David Hayes: Small Sculpture and Gouache Studies.”

Be sure to bring a picnic because you’ll get the opportunity to enjoy the museum’s patio where picnics and short walks around the University are encouraged. You can even stop by the University’s food court to enjoy on the museum patio. Another favorite spot is the newest wing called the “Myrna and Sheldon Palley Pavilion for Contemporary Glass and Studio Arts” where you’ll get to experience even more of the art the museum contains.

Stop in for special events like Lowe After Hours, happening on the first Thursday of every month to celebrate art and culture with food and drinks, education, and a chance to mingle with other art lovers. The Newman Lecture Series takes place periodically to discuss and appreciate distinguished photographers.

You can also get involved be becoming a members which offers you admission for the year, admission to special events, discounts at the museum store, and more. You can also donate to the museum by through giving, sponsoring, and through other resources.

Related: 7 Top Miami Museums

What can you expect from a visit to the Lowe Art Museum? Expect a well-rounded art museum experience with collections from Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Renaissance, Asia, the Americas, and so much more. You’ll love the special events, the outdoor experiences, and being a part of a great cause to keep these pieces of art alive for generations to come.