Mission:
The Columbia Museum of Art seeks to inspire, educate and enrich the lives of the community, South Carolinians, tourists and visitors by collecting and preserving fine and decorative art from around the world, exhibiting highly regarded work from a broad range of cultures and providing dynamic educational and cultural programs.
South Carolina's premier international art museum houses a world class collection of European and American fine and decorative art that spans centuries. In recent years, the Museum's collection of Asian art and Antiquities has grown through generous gifts to the collection. Founded in 1950, the museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 by transforming an urban department store into a sleek and airy, light-filled space with 25 galleries. The collections include masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, works by significant furniture and silver makers, as well as modern and contemporary art from the present time. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli's Nativity, Claude Monet's The Seine at Giverny and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum also offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums and educational programs that include group and public tours, lectures, films and concert series.
