The Columbus Museum

The Columbus Museum grew from efforts in the 1920s by local citizens and civic groups to build support for a museum in the city. Formal work to establish it began in 1940, and the institution opened in 1953. In 1972, it became among the first museums accredited by the American Association of Museums. Since its beginning, it has pursued a dual mission centered on American art and regional culture, building major art and historical collections, presenting hundreds of special exhibitions, producing publications, and offering educational programs. It has also taken part in archaeological and public history projects across the region, partnered in community-development initiatives, and served as a gathering place for people interested in regional culture and art. Through its partnership with the Muscogee County School District, it has served thousands of school children as a center for cultural education. Originally housed in the former home of businessman W.C. Bradley, it expanded several times, and its most recent expansion brought its interior space to almost 90,000 square feet while complementing the historic home’s Mediterranean Revival architecture. Euphan Collier Stewart helped organize some of Columbus’s earliest major art exhibitions and was a driving force in building early interest in a museum in the 1920s, while her sister Georgia Collier Comer left a bequest in her memory that was critical to funding the museum. Columbus native and artist Edward Swift Shorter led organized efforts to create the museum for more than a decade, became its first director, and remained closely connected to it after retiring.

Columbus, Georgia · United States