Ogden Museum of Southern Art

"Zoom out. What can we expect from this museum?The buildings that make up the Ogden Museum of Southern Art honor the past and the present in a one-two punch. At the front, the Patrick F. Taylor Library is a church-like structure dating back to the late 1800s; meanwhile, the modern glass and stone of the Stephen Goldring Hall, which opened in 2003, is a contemporary counterpoint. The museum is Smithsonian-affiliated and, as its name suggests, celebrates the culture and aesthetic of Southern artists. Let's get specific—what can we expect to see here?The permanent collection showcases more than 4,000 pieces from 15 southern states; in fact, with works dating back to 1733, this museum boasts the most comprehensive collection of Southern art in the world. The exhibits feature paintings, photography, sculpture, and handicrafts, and place historical works alongside contemporary artists working in the South. Any temporary exhibitions we should check out?We viewed an exhibition on self-taught art, a theme that recurs throughout the museum. Many of the visiting or temporary exhibits draw from esoteric creative sources, and there’s little snobbery to be found in the collection. Who can we expect to see here?The museum may not have the profile of the New Orleans Museum of Art, but it attracts culture-vultures. The crowd tends to be more mature and very well traveled. What's the space itself like?The museum isn’t huge and it's easy to move between floors. The atmosphere is unrushed and contemplative—even when it's busy, you can still enjoy a good amount of personal space. Any guided tours worth trying?There are docent-led tours every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. and on the first Saturday of the month at 2 p.m. Is the gift shop worth a stop?The shop has a decent selection of prints and art books, as well as some of the more affordable handicrafts on display in the museum itself. If we're tight on time, what parts of the museum should we prioritize?Skip right to the third and fourth floors of Goldring Hall for a perfectly serviceable sampler of Southern art over the last 280 years." - Paul Oswell