GAINESVILLE, FLA.- The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida opened its new 3,600 square-foot art gallery and 1,000 square-foot Bishop Study Center on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The renovation, which began in October 2025, allows visitors to see more art during their visit, with the first exhibition on view titled Beyond the Brush: The Florida Art Collection, Gift of Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers.

The museum has remained open throughout the renovation, which also includes the named Drs. Rebecca & Paul Nagy Director’s Suite and Conference Room providing meeting space for staff and rental opportunities; upgrades to the Visitor Services area; and back-of-house catering walkway to assist in programs such as Art After Dark and the Harn’s event rental program. A main aspect of the renovation transformed the Bishop Study Center into an area that can be used more frequently by university students and classes to analyze and engage with the Harn’s nearly 14,000 work-of-art collection. This includes state-of-the-art technology to hold virtual classes reaching a larger academic audience from any location.

“The Harn is grateful to the 1923 Fund; Deirdre and Russ Fogler; Roy Hunt; Jim and Beth Ayers McCague; Drs. Rebecca and Paul Nagy; and other generous donors for making this renovation possible,” said Dr. Lee Anne Chesterfield, Harn Museum of Art Director. “Immediately upon entering the Harn, visitors will be greeted by this new gallery showcasing The Florida Art Collection, Gift of Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers. We are so grateful to the Vickers for their gift of more than 1,200 works of Florida-themed art given to the Harn in 2020.”

On display in the new gallery for the next two years, Beyond the Brush: The Florida Art Collection, Gift of Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers, features 70 paintings, works on paper and sculptures spanning the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. The exhibition explores Florida as a source of inspiration for artists, residents and tourists including images of familiar sights such as historic landmarks, cityscapes, popular destinations, beaches and nature views of Florida brush and vegetation.

Representing nearly 60 artists, Beyond the Brush includes many nationally-recognized figures in American art such as Martin Johnson Heade, Winslow Homer, Thomas Moran, Louis Comfort Tiffany, John Singer Sargent, Herman Herzog, Jane Peterson, Marguerite Zorach, Ernest Lawson, William Glackens and Doris Lee. Pioneering, regional artists active in Florida include Laura Woodward, Albert Backus, Anthony Thieme and the Highwaymen painters Johnny Daniels and Harold Newton, among many other artists.

“The exhibition is more than a collection of images of familiar sights. It encourages a closer look beyond the painted surface to uncover the overlapping narratives, histories and perspectives of the artists and the subjects they depicted,” said Dulce Román, Harn Museum of Art Chief Curator and Curator of Modern Art. “We look forward to welcoming UF students and faculty, the community and tourists into this new renovation to view, appreciate and study Florida art.”