minnesota marine art museum

From it's seaside coastal exterior to an interior that could rival the great metropolitan museums, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum could put Winona,MN on the map all on its own.

While the word awesome may be overused in today's conversations, there are times when one finds a place for which the word must have been coined. One of those places is the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Its art collection includes an impressive mix of European art, a number of which are by impressionist artists like Monet and Renoir. What is said to be Van Gogh's first oil painting is in this museum as well. Another gallery holds a collection of works from the Hudson River school. As the museum's name implies, seascapes abound displayed in all their glory. This is a small museum so the beauty that it offers the visitor can be absorbed without one feeling overwhelmed or exhausted. And there are always knowledgeable and entertaining guides to help you appreciate the outstanding works on display. You will leave the museum thinking, all that in a town of 27,000 along the Mississippi? Really? It is worth a visit or two.

Focus was on marine art, but encompassed various time periods and styles. Some heat finds in the European art hall

Beautiful art, really a nice experience! My family spent about 3 hours here on a cold Saturday. It was very relaxing and also inexpensive.

Starting as an art museum focusing on river and marine art, this museum is now one of the major art museums in the state of Minnesota. A real gem!

I visited this with my daughter and was very pleased with the exibits. Most is nautical themed but all was very good. I highly recommend checking it out when in Winona.

We visited specifically to see the visiting Ansel Adams exhibition but we enjoyed everything this museum offered. Pleasantly greeted by a lovely lady, she explained what we could see and where. There are obviously a lot of marine based exhibits but the quality of what is on offer to view is comparable to what any major city museum has. I come from Nottingham originally and have seen world class museums. This is as good, just on a smaller scale. Top popular artists work hangs here and all is very well displayed. The halls each have specific works, European, American artists etc. A super building that houses wonderful world class art. Pleasant staff too. A great two hours for a very reasonable $7 each. We shall be returning again in the future.

I assumed this small town museum would be interesting at best. I was wrong. It was amazing. Although the collection is small it is amazing. All of the art had a maritime theme, but there were still many pieces there from famous painters.

In addition to seascapes and nautical-themed art, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM) collection includes works from Picaso, Monet, van Gogh, and other respected artists. What a surprise to find this caliber of art in a small town like Winona.Being a photographer, I especially enjoyed the Ansel Adams Classic Images exhibit, which runs through Jan 11, 2015.The other temporary exhibit featured the work of Jack Gray (runs through March 29, 2015). Gray's work is fantastic--it mesmerized me and pulled me into its environment.The MMAM and its collections are top-notch and worth the trip!The journey to and from Winona is an adventure itself. Traveling Minn Hwy 61, which follows the Mississippi River, one can see Bald Eagles during the winter months, especially from Winona north to Wabasha (home of the Eagle Center) and Lake City. During the summer months, one can watch boat traffic on the river, as well as rail traffic that parallels the highway.

My innkeeper at Alexander Mansion B&B told me this place was not to be missed for art lovers...and he was right!! In fact, he loves it so much that staying at his B&B earns you an entry to the museum that he'll pay for!! The museum's permanent collection includes pieces by Picaso, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, & a few other well known artists. There are many maritime pieces by lesser known artists that were also quite wonderful. And when I visited, there was a traveling exhibit of Ansel Adams photographs that was wonderful!! Who knew such a hidden jewel full of amazing pieces exists in tiny little Winona, MN?! A must see for art lovers!!!

great Ansel Adams show,consisting of the photographer's favorites, presented as a gift to his daughter. His work is beautiful, ground breaking.

Who'd think it?! Winona has a world class museum. The permanent collection includes Picasso, numerous Hudson school artists, Impressionist gliterati, and many others. But that would make it just another museum. The emphasis on marine art introduces visitors to artists like the remarkable Jack Gray. Wow! Also, we saw a wonderful showing of Ansel Adams photos. Do go -- you'll love it.

We were lucky enough to visit when there was an exhibit of Ansel Adams photographs, but the permanent collection here is really impressive. The galleries are set up nicely, so it's easy to go around the room and see the paintings in an order that makes sense.

We'd been driving past Winona and a friend mentioned, "You should stop in at their little museum. I think they have a Matisse."Well.Yes, their "little museum" had a Matisse. Also (and my list is not all-inclusive) Van Gogh, Kandinsky, O'Keeffe, Gauguin, Renoir, Cezanne, Picasso, Seurat, Mondrian, and Pissarro. Get the picture?We saw the permanent collections, as well as a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition (X-ray Vision: Fish Inside Out) in early July, and became members, though it didn't seem likely we'd be back before the year was up. However, the museum wrote to us about a two-gallery Ansel Adams exhibition, so we combined a stop in Winona with another planned trip in order to see it. Marvelous.If you can get there, do.

The exhibits are wonderful and well worth the stop. Many paintings from renown artists one would not expect to see in such an intimate gallery.