Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Director & CEO, Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
In an interview with Invest:, Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, CEO of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, highlighted the museum’s first garden exhibition, Flamboyance: A Topiary Menagerie, and emphasized the museum’s unique three-part mission focusing on art, garden, and education, underscoring innovative horticultural practices and community engagement as key differentiators.
What have been the key achievements for the Cummer Museum over the past 12 months?
We’re completing our next strategic plan, which is exciting and dynamic for us. We’ve been a trusted resource for the community, so completing this five-year plan is an important milestone.
We’re also proud that we presented our first engaging and exciting horticultural exhibit in the gardens last year. Our visitors have loved our gardens for decades, but this was the first time we curated an exhibition such as this. It was called Flamboyance: A Topiary Menagerie, and featured 50 flowering begonias in the shape of flowering flamingoes grown on-site by our dedicated horticulture team. This transformed our gardens into something different and unexpected enjoyed by tens of thousands of guests.
We’re also proud that two works from our permanent collection are currently featured in international exhibitions, showcasing how dynamic the Cummer Museum’s holdings are. Portrait of a Youth in an Embroidered Vest by Marie-Victoire Lemoine, one of the most celebrated works in our collection, was featured in the internationally touring exhibition, Making Her Mark: A History of Women Artists in Europe, 1400 – 1800 and was on view at the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Farther afield, Bartolomeo Compagni by Pier Francesco de Jacopo Foshi was featured in the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze in Italy.
What sets Cummer Museum apart from other museums and gardens?
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is a hometown jewel, but what really sets us apart is our three-part mission and priorities: art, gardens, and education. Many museums focus on at least two of these, but our deliberate and unapologetic focus on all three makes us unique.
Our location is unparalleled. Being situated right on the St. Johns River and on the threshold of downtown sets us apart from other institutions. Additionally, our increasing focus on wellness and well-being is meaningful. The research on the social, emotional, and physical benefits of experiencing art and gardens in person is telling. We’re thrilled about these distinct aspects that differentiates us.
What are some of the key exhibitions the museum hosted?
Most recently we hosted Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 to 1960. This traveling exhibition, organized by the Fashion Institute of Design Museum in Los Angeles and traveled by the American Federation of Arts, was special for our city. Jacksonville has a lot of hometown pride around sports, and this exhibition allowed us to think about women and innovation in attire in new ways. It featured 65 different ensembles showcasing how women have been innovative in getting outdoors since the 1800s. These ensembles transformed our space, making it dynamic and exciting.
Our first outdoor exhibition, Flamboyance: A Topiary Menagerie, transformed our gardens into an interactive, playful, and beautiful garden oasis. This exhibition truly engaged our visitors in a unique way. Additionally, our permanent collection continues to delight and draw people in regularly, offering something new and dynamic with each visit.
What in the Cummer Gardens currently excites you most?
The Board of Trustees and the entire staff agree that having the expertise of the Doolittle Family Director of Gardens and Horticulture on staff has been a game changer that has yielded dynamic and real changes in the Cummer Gardens. For example, we previously relied heavily on the commercial industry and only focused on a few varieties of plants. Now, with expert guidance, we are experimenting and growing from seed. As a result, the Gardens are bursting with new plants and new pollinators. This shift has allowed us to introduce a new aesthetic into our garden. The seeds we planted several months ago are now flourishing and have transformed our English garden.
How is the Cummer Museum engaging with contemporary, social and political issues through its exhibitions?
We take great pride in being a resource for all of Jacksonville and beyond. As a community hub, our primary goal is to be welcoming to all. We ensure that our exhibitions invite discovery and inspire curiosity. We want to be open and inclusive and work hard to make sure everyone feels welcome here.
What innovative approaches is the museum taking to incorporate technology and innovation into the visitor experience?
We’ve been slower to incorporate technology into our galleries and gardens. We do occasionally include QR codes on labels for those who want to read or hear more, but one of the beautiful things about the museum is that it offers a respite from technology. You can put your devices down and immerse yourself fully in the experience. Going forward, we might consider additional strategies, but we want to ensure that technology enhances, rather than disrupts, the visitor experience. We aim to introduce technology in ways that are both responsible and non-intrusive.
We do have technological needs, such as improving our CRM for better post-visit engagement and upgrading our back-of-house systems. Our strategic plan addresses these needs and will help us become the cultural powerhouse we aspire to be.
How is the museum attracting donations and funding in a challenging environment?
Across the sector, we’re seeing significant changes in funding, both from individuals and corporations. Many are changing their funding models, and we’re certainly amid that change. We’re finding creative solutions to cover the expenses associated with exhibitions. We need to be more innovative and broader in our approach. Expanding our team in the advancement arena is a real priority, and that is clearly outlined in our strategic plan. I’m proud of the strides we’re making.
How does the Cummer Museum prioritize and support its employees, artists, and visitors?
I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this time to highlight the incredible people who make art, horticulture and culture come together in such a unique and inviting way. We have an extraordinary team of experts devoted to our mission. In a sector experiencing many ebbs and flows beyond anyone’s control, our team stands out.
In our new strategic plan, we emphasize “people first.” This includes our staff, our visitors, trustees, and those engaging with us virtually. We strive to be a welcoming hub for people from diverse backgrounds and interests.
How do you envision the Cummer Museum evolving over the next three to five years?
The next three to five years will be a time of tremendous growth for us. We’re doubling down on wellness and well-being, deliberately infusing these into our offerings. We also plan to maximize our unique location by learning more about water rise and sea levels, given our position on the river. We aim to be more data-driven than ever.
Additionally, we want to capture the interest of new residents and tourists coming to Jacksonville, which is a booming city on the move. We’ll heighten our marketing efforts to engage these groups while continuing to serve our long-time residents. There are lots of wonderful things on the horizon for the Cummer Museum. Stay tuned.
