Lightner Museum invites St. Augustine residents and museum members to a community open house for a first look at two new exhibitions, “Picturing a Nation: American Art from the Lightner Museum” and “Tom Schifanella: Faces of the Alcazar.” The open house will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28.
“Picturing a Nation: American Art from the Lightner Museum” is a major reinstallation of American paintings and sculpture from the Lightner Museum’s permanent collection.
From America’s great vistas and natural wonders to intimate scenes of St. Augustine, “Picturing a Nation” presents a vibrant vision of the country on a local and national scale through late 19th- and early 20th-century American art.
The exhibition, which will be on display from Oct. 29 to Sept. 30 is supported by a grant from the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council.
“Tom Schifanella: Faces of the Alcazar” presents a compelling insight into the lives of working-class employees at Henry Flagler’s Alcazar Hotel.
Through large-format photographic prints, the exhibition documents the fragmentary clippings from early 20th-century motion picture magazines pasted to the walls of the Alcazar staff quarters a century ago by the immigrant staff who lived and worked at the hotel.
The crumbling remnants remain a haunting visual record of the dreams and aspirations of the forgotten individuals who served the wealthy visitors wintering in St. Augustine at the dawn of the 20th century. “Faces of the Alcazar,” which will be on display from Oct. 29 through March 7, is supported by a grant from the Dr. JoAnn Crisp-Ellert Fund at the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.
In addition to exploring the museum’s new exhibitions, guests will be able to shop the museum’s updated and expanded Museum Store, and preview the newly renovated Radzinski Family Garden.
The Lightner Museum Community Open House is a free event. Guests should enter through the museum’s main entrance.
The Lightner Museum is located at 75 King St., St. Augustine.
