Kerry Oliver-Smith remembers her first day at the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, 20 years ago.
She remembers being “in awe of the stunning architecture” of the building. She remembers Bud Bishop, the museum’s director at the time, and his “mile-high standards.” She remembers just how tidy the museum was: floors sparkled, art hung at just the right height and not a single particle of dust could be found in the building.
“It was all so clean and perfect and professional,” Oliver-Smith said.
Now the museum’s curator of contemporary art, Oliver-Smith began working at the Harn in 1990, shortly before its grand opening, as the curator of education.
As the Harn celebrates its 20th birthday this year, she says the museum remains just as put-together as it was in its infancy.
“Every day, I’m still blown away by the quality of our museum,” she said.
The Harn Museum opened on Sept. 22, 1990. The first exhibits displayed included art of Papua New Guinea, Pre-Columbian art from Peru, and Columbia and Florida paintings by Herman Herzog.
Just about everything about the museum has grown.
When it opened, the building consisted of 64,470 square feet of space.
Now, thanks to several additions, the museum spans more than 82,470 square feet.
In 1990, the museum’s permanent collection consisted of 3,000 paintings, sculptures and other items.
Today, the museum boasts 7,300 works of art. The staff has doubled in size, growing from 25 to 50 members over the past 20 years.
“We’ve certainly expanded over the years in the most tremendous ways,” said Tami Wroath, the museum’s director of marketing and public relations.
She said that through the years, the Harn has tried to broaden its audience to be as inclusive as possible. Hosting artwork from around the world, ranging from Southeast Asian to contemporary American works, the Harn’s collection is truly broad, Wroath said.
“Sometimes, museums can be perceived as stuffy and elitist, but there really is something for everyone here,” she said.
In celebration of its 20th birthday, the Harn is hosting a weekend worth of events.
Friday evening, patrons are invited to “20 Candles: Come As You Art!” a birthday party for the Harn.
Ticket packages are available at tiered levels starting at $20, but everyone attending will be treated to cocktails, cupcakes and live music.
All proceeds will help support the museum and its exhibitions.
On Sunday, the Harn will continue its celebration with an afternoon full of family-friendly activities.
From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can design birthday hats, decorate cupcakes and race through the museum during a scavenger hunt.
Admission is free and open to the public.
For more information, visit harn.ufl.edu.
