ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The Brevard Art Museum was established March 8, 1978 as the Brevard Art Center and Museum, Inc. The first building was acquired during the summer of 1978, and was modified to meet the needs of a visual arts museum. The Museum was then a 4,500-square-foot exhibition space consisting of three galleries.

In June of 1980, a major gift from Cocoa Beach philanthropist Samuel J. Foosaner made possible the purchase of a 6,000-sq. ft. building adjoining the existing museum. The building was subsequently remodeled to accommodate an extensive program of studio classes. Children and adults now enjoy the opportunity to study and create art in the Renee Foosaner Education Center.

In February of 1986, the Museum moved to a new five-gallery facility across the street from the original site. The renovated space has tripled the exhibition area and provides greater office, technical support, and storage areas. Larger and more valuable collections can now be brought to the Museum. The permanent collection has grown with the addition of several bodies of work.

Following the demise of the community’s local science museum in 1994, the Board of Trustees voted to undergo expansion and develop a children’s science education facility adjacent to the Museum’s educational wing, adding approximately 5,000 square feet of science exhibition space. The newly refurbished science center opened in the fall of 1995. The Children’s Science Center now features more than 25 hands-on exhibits, teaching concepts of physical sciences. It is the only hands-on learning center teaching concepts of physics, mechanics, sound, and light in Brevard, Indian River, and St. Lucie counties. More than 3,000 children toured the center in 2003 from schools, churches, and scout groups. Educational programs such as the Young Scientists’ Club and the Science Summer Camp provide additional opportunities for young people to get more involved in science.

In February 1995, the organization name was officially changed to Brevard Museum of Art and Science. In 1999 the science center was renamed the Ruth Cote Clemente Children’s Science Center, in honor of a major donor. In 2000, the Children’s Gallery was designated (in Gallery IV of the art galleries) for hands-on art activities germane to the changing visual art exhibitions.

Educational programming is at the core of the Brevard Art Museum’s mission.  Our extensive range of children's programs is designed to appeal to a number of cross sections of the community. As the only visual arts museum in Brevard County, the Museum plays a sought after and invaluable role in the County for both residents and visitors.

Today, almost 30 years later, the Brevard Art Museum has tripled the exhibition area and provides more modern technical conservation methods and storage areas as our collection increases in size.  Larger and more valuable loan collections can now be brought to the Museum. In addition, children and adults now enjoy the opportunity to study and create art in the Museum School at the Renee Foosaner Education Center which housed a portion of the original Museum. 

In June 2007, the Board of Trustees announced the Museum’s name change from the Brevard Museum of Art and Science to the BrevardArt Museum.  The former science center space has been designated as an exploratory learning center for 3 to 8 year-olds in support of the State’s Sunshine Standards.