Ackland Art Museum

Building Description

Ackland Art Museum is the large brick building along Colombia Street that takes up most of the block between Cameron Road and Franklin Street. It is only a few stories above ground level, so it is not too overpowering or out of place. Its brick columns at the main entrance make it fit in well with the rest of the university’s motif. The back side of Ackland is directly adjacent to Hanes Art Center. Inside boasts several galleries filled with local art, as well as art from around the world. Outside, towards the rear of the building, a few abstract life-size sculptures adorn the sidewalks that feed into the northwestern part of campus.

History

One day, William Hayes Ackland decided that the American South had too few museums. To rectify the situation, he set forth on funding the construction of what is today the Ackland Art Museum. The building opened in 1958 and originally targeted both university students and the general public. Since the late 1950’s, Ackland has acquired thousands of works of art, and today features over 15,000 from all over the world. This has allowed the University to reach out to the global artistic community and achieve international recognition. Today, the building is still used for exhibiting and interpreting art, and to educate students from the university level on down through the elementary level.