Art & History Museums - Maitland

About the A&H

The Art & History Museums – Maitland is home to five museums that foster an appreciation for art and history through immersive experiences, including exhibitions, events, artist residencies and education programs. Our five museums include: Maitland Art Center, Maitland Historical Museum and Telephone Museum on our main campus, and the Waterhouse Residence Museum and Carpentry Shop Museum on our Lake Lily campus.

The A&H’s Maitland Art Center campus was founded as an artist colony in 1937 by visionary American artist and architect, Jules André Smith, and is the only National Historic Landmark in the four-county area of Central Florida. The Landmark status was awarded due to the Mayan Revival architecture — including 2500 murals & sculptures throughout the campus — and significance as a retreat for notable American artists.

The A&H’s educational opportunities for schools include a guided walking tour of our National Historic Landmark Campus & Outdoor Sketching in the Garden, for kindergarten through 8th grade.

Students are invited to step into the fantastical world of artist and architect Jules André Smith at the Art and History Museums in Maitland. They will become inspired on a mini tour of our national historic landmark campus where you’ll see some of Andre’s murals and 2500 concrete reliefs adorned on the buildings, doorways, walkways and gardens. Our tour ends in our main garden, surrounded by a dozen artist studios that Andre’ built nearly 100 years ago, designed especially for visiting artists to live and work together in this creative and magical space.

After our tour students will experience outdoor art and have the opportunity to sketch the sights they see in our garden – from floating lily pads and tiny tadpoles in our reflecting pool, to flowering trees or even the Andre’ Smith’s cement reliefs. 

Students will wrap up their time by revisiting the architectural art of Andre’ Smith on a small student group scavenger hunt. Students are invited to bring a bagged lunch and enjoy a picnic in our garden following the scavenger hunt.