Margaret Acheson Stuart founded the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg in 1965 as the first art museum in St. Petersburg. Today, it hosts the largest encyclopedic collection of art in Florida. Situated at the heart of the third-largest downtown waterfront park system in North America (after Vancouver and Chicago), the museum’s grounds include buildings designed by esteemed architects John Volk and Yann Weymouth, a glass conservatory, a store, a café, and lush waterfront gardens.

The Museum strives to “engage, educate, and excite the community by collecting, exhibiting, and preserving works of art for the enjoyment of all,” according to its mission statement. In accordance with this mission, the museum has positioned itself as a cultural leader within the community and, in addition to its comprehensive collection of centuries-spanning classic and modern art, hosts a number of educational programs on its grounds and off for the community’s enjoyment.