Myrtle Beach Art Museum And The Community Who Built it

Visiting An Art Museum Of Southern Heritage

Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum is a lovely museum in Myrtle Beach. It shares all forms of art with those who walk through the doors.

True to the traditions of southern hospitality and pride of their heritage it has a rich history and echos the spirit of community. Their programs, exhibits, and events offers to their community an opportunity for involvement and education in the arts.

Barb and I visited the museum on International Women’s Day as invited guests. We were fortunate to view several female artists featured in their exhibit. The Franklin G. Buroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum has 11 galleries that change through out the year. A variety of art mediums including photography, textiles, sculpture, ceramics, collages and paintings enhance the walls as visitors stroll viewing the talent of each artist.

A Labor Of Love To Promote The Arts

The museum is named to recognize the founders of the Myrtle Beach Farms who donated the land needed to relocate the Springmaid Villa. This vintage summer home was a vacation retreat for two powerful textile industrial families, Eugene Cannon and Col. Elliot White Springs.

Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum does not charge admission. Donations are welcome which helps the museum to keep their free admission policy.

A welcoming staff member greets all who walk into the front door of the reception area and tells about the the museum’s history, exhibits and classes offered.

This small museum speaks volumes in the care and creativity that goes into each room. It came to no surprise to me in learning that it won the official Governor’s Awards for the Arts’ and the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award for Outstanding Arts Organization.

Unique from most museums visitors are welcome to have tea and dessert on the Carolyn Burroughs Tea Porch. Guests may gaze from a panorama view of its windows while watching the ocean. We were fortunate enough to meet a local man who gave us more historical information about the museum and a building located at the edge of the property. He told us of Col. Springs having the small hotel built for his employees so they to could vacation there.

Opening on June of 1997 the museum was a joint effort of the community artists, art patrons, and business leaders. The museum has a wide variety of programs and activities to encourage the community to stay involved and always learning about the arts.

Tapping In To Your Inner Artist

Visitors get to tap into their own inner artist under a large shade tree on the property. Chalk boards with colored chalk inspire each guest to express them self which generates another gallery of those that visited and became a part of the family for a day.