ABOUT THE MINNESOTA MARINE ART MUSEUM

Mission

The Minnesota Marine Art Museum engages visitors in meaningful visual art experiences through education and exhibitions that explore the ongoing and historic human relationship with water.

Vision

To be an art museum valued and supported by the region and recognized nationally as a unique visual art institution dedicated to community engagement and the exhibition, preservation, and interpretation of great art inspired by water.

History

The MMAM is a 501c3 nonprofit art museum and education center that opened on July 27, 2006, attracting both regional and national attention. The impetus for building the Museum was to make the Winona area a nationally recognized center for arts and culture and to build on the robust educational systems of the greater region.

The initial collections consisted of a substantial collection of traditional marine paintings and an equally large collection of folk art by popular regional artists Leo and Marilyn Smith. After expanding the quality and diversity of its collections year after year, adding an ambitious roster of educational programs and temporary exhibitions, and expanding its facility in 2009, 2013 and 2014, the MMAM of today is a dynamic and surprising experience for tens of thousands of visitors.

Expect to be Surprised

The Minnesota Marine Art Museum is an inspiring, meaningful, and exciting experience. The MMAM exhibits 10 or more historical or contemporary exhibitions, and hosts educational experiences for thousands of people each year. The Museum’s exhibitions and programs are inspired by one of the highest quality collections of art in the country. The Museum’s initial collections focused on traditional marine or maritime art, however, through a collection on long-term loan, today the MMAM is home to a large variety of the greatest European and American masters. The MMAM is the public home to masterpieces by Turner, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cassatt, Gauguin, Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, O’Keeffe, Homer, Wyeth, and many more. It is through this surprising diversity that the Museum is not only describing what marine art is, but pushing the boundaries of what marine art can be.

Visit the MMAM website here.