Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville

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This article is about Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville. For other Museums named Museum of Contemporary Art, see Museum of Contemporary Art.

MOCA Jacksonville

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, also known by its acronym, MOCA, is one of the Southeast’s largest contemporary art institutions. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, it is dedicated to presenting innovative exhibitions by the finest international, national and regional artists. MOCA Jacksonville was founded in 1924 as the Jacksonville Fine Arts Society, the first organization in our community devoted to the visual arts. In 1948 the Museum was incorporated as the Jacksonville Art Museum, and in 1978 it became the first institution in Jacksonville to be accredited by the American Association of Museums.

In late 1999 the Museum acquired its permanent home, the historic Western Union Telegraph Building on Hemming Plaza, adjacent to the newly renovated City Hall, and became the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art (JMOMA). In 2000, a series of preview exhibitions opened in a temporary exhibition space while the building facade was restored to its original Art Deco style. The interior was completely refurbished to house the Museum’s galleries, educational facilities, a theater/auditorium, Museum Shop and Café Nola. Total renovation of the 60,000 square foot, six-floor facility was completed in 2003, culminating in a grand re-opening in May of that year.

After moving to its downtown location the Museum experienced rapid growth in both the sizes of our membership and our permanent collection. The many substantial additions to the collection increased not only its quality, but also its size to almost 800 pieces. After completing a recent review of the current scope of the Museum’s collection and exhibitions, discussions were held regarding the distinctions between modern and contemporary art, as well as the Museum’s mission and vision for the future. It was decided that in order for the Museum to convey a strong sense of identity and purpose to both the community and other art institutions across the country, its name should change. Therefore in November 2006 JMOMA became the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville.

MOCA Jacksonville originates over 95% of its exhibitions and provides accompanying catalogs with scholarly commentary. In the past three years the Museum has produced over thirty exhibitions of works by such renowned contemporary artists as to attract visitors from all over the Southeast.

The Museum continues to be a cornerstone of Jacksonville’s multi-billion dollar downtown revitalization plan, its exhibitions and programs bringing new visitors to the civic core during the day, at night and on weekends. Educational programming includes children’s literacy initiatives and weekend art making classes as well as regular tours, lectures, films and publications for children and adults.

MOCA Jacksonville is an inviting environment in which to learn about the art of our time. Stroll through our permanent collection galleries and view the works of Hans Hofmann, Joan Mitchell, James Rosenquist, Ed Paschke, and other contemporary masters. MOCA Jacksonville’s changing exhibitions feature the works of many contemporary artists working in a wide assortment of media from painting, sculpture, and video. Our entire third floor hosts exhibitions, which rotate approximately every four months, designed to provide insightful, stimulating and educational experiences for our diverse visitors.