Orlando

Love Art? Here’s How to Do Orlando’s Art Scene in a Day

by Dana Domato

Photograph by Dana Domato

Works by Louis Comfort Tiffany (Photo: Courtesy of The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, Winter Park)

Orlando isn’t just for roller coaster and cartoon enthusiasts — art lovers can find lots to do here, too! The city is home to several museums and venues displaying work from famous local and global artists. Here’s how you can fit it all in one day:

10 a.m. Fuel up! If it’s a Saturday, start at the old train depot. This historic landmark is home to the most popular farmers’ market in all of Central Florida: the Winter Park Farmers’ Market. Be sure to stop by the famous Lemonade Stand because it’s never too early for a delicious refresher. In the mood for a quick snack? You will love their Kettle Corn—it’s the best in town!

11a.m. Today’s main event is the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA). OMA is committed to collecting, preserving, and interpreting extraordinary works of art. Its home to several collections that draw throngs of visitors everyday: the unique collection of African Art, American Art before 1945 and after 1945, Contemporary American Graphics Collection, Art of the Ancient Americas, and the latest New Acquisitions.

1 p.m. By the time you finish at OMA, you’ll most likely need to refuel. Head over to Park Avenue and enjoy a healthy lunch at Park Plaza Gardens. Enjoy your meal inside a warm and welcoming atrium dining room surrounded by floor to ceiling plants and trees. You’ll feel as if you’re dining in an exotic garden. If you’re craving a sandwich, try the Shrimp “BLT,” which includes jumbo prawns atop roasted garlic aioli, Applewood bacon, lettuce, and tomato on a warm croissant. In the mood for something green? A local favorite is the Park Plaza Gardens Cobb Salad.

2 p.m. After lunch, stroll down the street to the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. The Morse Museum displays a vast collection by Louis Comfort Tiffany. You can view Tiffany’s famed designs in pottery, jewelry, paintings, art glass and windows.

3 p.m. Then, hop across the street to Orlando’s beautiful Rollins College and walk around their museum. The Cornell Fine Arts Museum displays some of the oldest and most notable collections in Florida, with over 5,000 objects from antiquities to modern art. One of the most well-known pieces on display is Cosimo Rosselli’s, “Madonna Enthroned Nursing the Christ Child” that dates back to the fifteenth century.

4 p.m. As evening creeps up, stop by Barnie’s Coffee Kitchen on Park Avenue to grab a coffee and a light snack. There are plenty of independently owned art galleries and shops to enjoy in the vicinity. Timothy’s Gallery is one of the best for American crafts and the Scott Laurent Collection features local and global treasures.