NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale

The NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale has long stood as a cultural anchor in South Florida, bringing together history, innovation, and community engagement under one roof. Founded in 1958 and located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale, the museum is positioned midway between Miami and Palm Beach, making it a central destination for both residents and visitors seeking meaningful encounters with art.

The museum’s striking 83,000-square-foot building, designed by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes and opened in 1986, offers more than 25,000 square feet of exhibition space. Within its walls are galleries, the 256-seat Horvitz auditorium, and spaces for learning, reflection, and conversation. Since joining Nova Southeastern University in 2008, the museum has expanded its reach, connecting academic research with public programming and cultural exchange.

NSU Art Museum is celebrated for the breadth and depth of its collections. It holds the largest body of works by American realist William Glackens, a central figure in early 20th-century art, and houses the most extensive U.S. collection of works by the European CoBrA group, whose experimental spirit reshaped postwar modernism. Its holdings in Latin American art and contemporary photography highlight the region’s role as a crossroads of cultures and perspectives. In 2024, the museum became the permanent home of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Surrounded Islands documentation, preserving the legacy of one of the most ambitious public art projects ever staged in Miami’s Biscayne Bay.

Complementing its collections are two research centers: the Dr. Stanley and Pearl Goodman Latin American Art Study Center and the William J. Glackens Study Center. These provide opportunities for scholarship while deepening public understanding of the museum’s strengths.

Through exhibitions, lectures, performances, and educational initiatives, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale continues to inspire creativity and foster dialogue, positioning itself as both a local treasure and an international destination for the arts.