The unveiling of Polk County’s most significant new work of art will take place on Jan. 18.
That is the day the public will first be admitted to the new wing of the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. The 14,000-square-foot expansion, decades in the planning, will add seven galleries to the existing building from 1988, along with new educational spaces, a creativity lab and renovations to the original structure.
“Every museum awaits a once-in-a-generation moment like this, and we are thrilled that the moment has finally arrived to share this incredible expansion with our art-loving community,” H. Alexander Rich , executive director and chief curator, said in a news release. “From our donors and members to the construction crews and our expert museum staff, this was a massive, collaborative effort that propels our mission to be recognized as a site for exceptional accessible learning and a top academic and community museum in the region, state, and nation.”