The Columbia Museum of Art celebrates outstanding artistic
creativity through its collection, exhibitions and programs, interacting in
ways that engage the mind and enrich the spirit.
South Carolina's premier international art museum houses a
world class collection of European and American fine and decorative art that
spans centuries. In recent years, the Museum's collection of Asian art and
Antiquities has grown through generous gifts to the collection. Founded in
1950, the museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 by transforming
an urban department store into a sleek and airy, light-filled space with 25
galleries. The collections include masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance and
Baroque from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, works by significant furniture and
silver makers, as well as modern and contemporary art from the present time. Of
particular interest are Sandro Botticelli's Nativity, Claude Monet's The Seine
at Giverny and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum also offers
changing exhibitions from renowned museums and educational programs that
include group and public tours, lectures, films and concert series.