Polk Museum of Art

We renewed our PMoA membership for 2016. Support local culture and art!

This is a nice local museum, great art shop. It takes about an hour to get through. There are free days, check the listings.

Admittedly very small, but I appreciate the traditional and non-​traditional exhibits. They have a good variety of mediums. They also sponsor local art walks and sales. Remember to go upstairs as there is more to see up there. I never interacted with the staff. Though not for lack of trying I tried to get some information from the desk when I entered, but conversation with the security guard seemed more interesting.

A relatively small museum but very quaint on the inside! I was unaware that it was also home to a charter school, I thought that was very neat! The young lady Amanda who worked at the front desk entrance was very sweet, darling, helpful, and professional, as were all the employees. My husband and I had a very nice day date here. I bought a few trinkets from the gift shop for a reasonable price as well :)

This is a wonderful museum. It was much better than we expected. They have some good local exhibits, not to mention some well-​known artists.

I checked out this museum on a whim with a friend as it seemed like a good halfway point between Kissimmee and Tampa. So glad we popped in! They have some really interesting pieces and a much wider variety of well-​known artists than I was expecting. But they have one permanent exhibit that keeps me coming back. It’s a bit hidden — upstairs and down the corridor with the museum classrooms, but it is worth searching out.
Quoted from press about the project: «In honor of the United Nations-​sponsored International Year of the Family in 1994, award-​winning photojournalist Peter Menzel brought together 16 of the world’s leading photographers to create a visual portrait of life in 30 nations. Material World tackles its wide subject by zooming in, allowing one household to represent an entire nation. Photographers spent one week living with a „statistically average“ family in each country, learning about their work, their attitudes toward their possessions, and their hopes for the future. Then a „big picture“ shot of the family was taken outside the dwelling, surrounded by all their (many or few) material goods.»
I am always moved by the vast disparity in the countries pictured and the different constructions of «family» around the world. If nothing else, it’s a good meditation on how much we all have to be grateful for that we have time to visit art museums without worrying what we will eat that night.

I checked out the museum during the Mayfaire this past weekend (yay for free admission) and I would absolutely recommend checking it out. They currently have a great Annie Leibovitz exhibit dedicated to women, and the location (right across from the lake) makes it really convenient to get to from the downtown area.

Everything R.M. said and more. They shine in student exhibits but have many regular rotating and special exhibits. Great education specialists with ongoing activities, enjoyable sculpture garden, some great movie presentations, fine small gift shop. Used to be closed Mondays (not sure if still is). Used to be free with donations accepted. In walking distance of the Public Library, Lake Morton, and Mr. Fish Eatery. (I took a star because of lack of interest/​assistance in valuing some ancient Indian art I wanted to donate so gifted Big Cypress Reservation instead of locals.)

The Polk Museum is a fabulous cultural center for the City of Lakeland and the surrounding area. The exhibits are varied and magnificently presented and the educational programs are accessible. Most highly recommended!