The Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement in Florida’s St. Petersburg will debut to the public tomorrow (September 7) in St. Pete’s downtown waterfront arts district.
MAACM, founded by local philanthropist and collector Rudy Ciccarello, will display his private collection and the holdings of his non-profit, Two Red Roses Foundation.
Ciccarello said in a statement: “This museum will be the epicenter for the study of the American Arts and Crafts movement.
“Our mission is to preserve and share these beautiful works of art with the public and to teach future generations to appreciate hand craftsmanship and honest design.”
MAACM launches on September 7
MAACM is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to the American Arts and Crafts movement. It is a work of art itself, with a grand atrium, skylights and dramatic spiral staircase.
Ciccarello designed and oversaw the project alongside Alfonso Architects. The five-storey museum is spread across 137,000 square feet. It boasts more than 40,000 square feet of gallery space.
Additional offerings at MAACM include a destination restaurant with private dining rooms, retail outlet, upscale café, children’s gallery, theatre, library, graphic studio, events space and outdoor green space.
Alfonso said MAACM “is inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement in its detailing and customisation of materials and joinery”.
Arts and Crafts movement in Florida
The building will “serve the collection in its presentation of precious objects in a modern, functional, and didactic way”, he added.
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international art and design trend that emerged at the end of the 19th century as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, which gave birth to mass production.
MAACM will showcase works of the American Arts and Crafts movement, including those by Gustav Stickley, Charles Rohlfs, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Roycrofters, and Newcomb Pottery.
The museum will exhibit furniture, pottery, tiles, lighting, textiles, photography, fine arts, woodblocks, metalwork, and period room installations.
Images: MAACM/Alfonso Architects
