The Mint Museum of Art gets its name from the days when it served as a U.S. Mint, coining millions in gold in the mid-19th century. The building was saved from demolition; in 1936 it became North Carolina’s first art museum.
The museums’ broad collection has pieces spanning 2,500 years in the Ancient and Native American Collection, paintings by American artists John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart, works by Hudson River School painters, contemporary art that includes everything from sculpture to photography, and a Historic Costume Collection that boasts items ranging from a French court suit from 1770 to a Versace gentleman’s ensemble from the 1990s.
A separate arm of the museum, called the Mint Museum of Craft + Design (which re-opened as a part of the new Mint Museum Uptown in late 2010), is dedicated to studio craft and design in areas like glass, metal, wood art, jewelry, clay, and studio furniture. In celebration of the re-opening, the Mint has launched Project Ten Ten Ten, a commissioning of 10 notable craft artists from around the world to create original works for the new facility.
The Mint Museum also offers social events including live music and receptions, discussions and tours to enhance art appreciation, and classes on subjects like drawing and watercolor painting for the budding artist.
Mint Museum of Art Information
- Public Transportation: Good
- Handicapped Accessibility: Yes
- Hours: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Sunday, Monday, New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
- Admission: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (65+) and college students, $5 for children 5-17, and free for children 4 and under.
- Free Days: Free admission for all on Tuesdays 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Subscription/Memberships: Memberships start at $60. Discount memberships available for students, schoolteachers, seniors, and people residing 90+ miles away. Benefits include free admission, 10% discount at museum shops, discounts on programs and classes, invitations to special events, discounts at some area retailers, and reciprocal privileges at other museums in the Southeast.
